Sense The Season

We went to Jekyll Island, Ga. for Thanksgiving this year and before heading home on Sunday we visited a small church on the island. A congregation of about 40, all locals to the island, we were the only visitors this Sunday. Madison and Andrew were the only children in the church. To say it was a special experience for our family would be an understatement. There were many elements of this sweet service that grabbed my attention, but what caught me the most was the pastor's opening to his sermon. He asked us how we use our senses this time of the year. Things we smell, taste, see, hear, how we use our hands. What made this so profound for me was the fact that for the past two weeks I've been thinking a great deal about my senses, and taking so much delight in them. Madison and I spend some time in bookstores doing our school work and there is just something about being surrounded with new books and the smell of coffee that motivates you to learn. The kids and I stopped by a Christmas tree lot to pick up a couple of wreaths and the air was filled with that wonderful Christmas smell. Another afternoon I was working at my desk and stopped to enjoy the smell of an apple-cinnamon candle burning and homemade soup cooking on the stove. At my weekly woman's group our opening question was, "what are you thankful for" and my answer was "good smells". I am amazed at the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. Just in our small Thanksgiving vacation there were millions of ways to take joy in our senses. The delicious food and sweet treats, smells of the ocean air, the feel of bare feet in the sand, the beautiful view of an ocean sunrise and the sights of a Christmas tree lighted up and fireworks that filled the sky, the sounds of Christmas carols and children laughing and squealing while playing in the man-made snow. I could go on and on. Could we use our senses to feel God? Absolutely! Our senses are the means through which the body feels and perceives to include seeing, hearing,touching, smelling, and tasting. They are a gift from God to bring pleasure and delight to our lives and to teach us about the world around us. God is always reaching out to us and we can relate with him though our incredible senses. He is awesome!!!This season when things tend to get stressful and busy be sure to take the time and notice what you smell, taste, hear, see, and feel. Our God is a God who sees and hears, He can smell and feel and speak. Unlike man-made gods that cannot speak, they cannot feel or see (Ps. 115:5-8). We are made in Gods image. How can we use our senses to bring joy this Christmas, bring delight to our families and homes, and experience God?

"Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly." - Mark 8:25

"Anyone with ears to hear, should listen and understand." - Matt. 13:9

"Taste and see that the Lord is good." - Ps. 34:8

"Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God."- 2Cor.2:15

"She touched the hem of his robe, for she thought, If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." - Matt. 9:20-22

Kristin Spehar

Sing A New Song

Jesus pulls us out of the mud and the mire, all the garbage in our lives, the lies and doubts and fears that we carry around everyday. Can't you see it, like a loving father, a best friend, one who is in love with our souls reaching down and picking us up out of the pile of manure that we wallow in. Cleaning us off and setting us upon that mighty rock. Placing us on a solid and strong foundation, the truth, love and grace of Jesus Christ. We can stand on that foundation and not be moved, never shaken. Because it is true, it is right and it is good. Praise God! Jesus begins to guides us, shining His light in the darkness of our hearts. He gently takes our hand and leads us down the path of life. He establishes our steps and with Him we cannot waver, we cannot fail. As we walk with Him, listening to His voice, staring intently at Him, things start to look different. Our hearts are beginning to sing, a new song, a song of praises to our God.

"He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. he set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God." Psalm 40: 2-3

Kristin Spehar

The Garden

"They heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze." - Genesis 3:8 (The Message)


Gardens ... They seem to whisper a secret language to our souls. Gardens have long been a sanctuary to man. A place on this journey to pause and marvel at the work of His hand. One morning as I admired the azalea's and dogwoods, God started teaching my soul about His Love of the garden. At the very creation of time ,He chose the garden as a place to dwell with his beloved. It was where He went to spend time with Adam and Eve. In the cool of the day He would relax and just be with the ones He so loved. Can you imagine the jasmine in the air, so intoxicating in the cool breeze it would almost take your breath away? Eden and all her glory. The place where God intended to dwell with His children. The secret place. Although we can no longer enter Eden, God's passion for us brought Him to earth as a man (Jesus). Who would reconcile us to Him forever. The sacrifice Christ made for us allows God to dwell with us in a new garden. One even more intimate than the original. The very one He was willing to die for. Yes ! We are His Garden. The very spirit of God dwells in us. He longs to spend time with us there, the creator of the universe wants to spend time with you in the garden.What will He see when He meets you there? Will it be well cared for? Grounds being kept in anticipation of The King's arrival? Your very time with Him alone! Or ,will He find a garden neglected over grown with weeds? When was the last time you prepared your garden to fellowship with THE KING?




Dreama Kees

True Beauty

I love looking beautiful just like any other woman. You can watch a little girl's love of playing dress up and making herself beautiful. Every bride adorns herself in beauty on her wedding day. Women long to feel beautiful. It is our deep question, "Am I lovely?", "Am I beautiful?". The world has a funny way of telling us how to obtain beauty and for many it feels out of reach. And that deep question is often answered "No". We feel we'll never have the perfect body, complexion, hair, so therefore how could we be beautiful.
God's word has something to say to us about beauty. If we look around us we'll see expressions of beauty everywhere. In the vibrant colors of a sunset, a field of Black-Eyed Susans, the laughter of children, a rainbow. The world is filled with sweet smells, vibrant colors, and magnificent beauty. God is the creator of beauty. We are an expression of His beauty and He delights in us. God has given us the creative ability to make things beautiful. I love to dress up in make up and put my hair in curls, wear sparkling jewerly, sweetly smelling perfumes, and have my hands and feet pampered. All of these things feel great and there is nothing wrong with any of it. However, it is all fleeting and will fade away. God taught me this lesson a few weeks ago. I was asked to speak at a small church one Sunday morning and the invitation was a day's notice. Not much time to prepare, but I felt led to go anyway. The problem was I desperately needed a haircut, to feel fresh and beautiful before I presented myself to a group of people. I simply could not go without a haircut. Thankfully, I have a dear friend who does hair and I called her for an emergency beautification treatment. She agreed, so I was happily headed for a fresh new look. On my way out the door, the question dropped in my heart, have you prayed, have you spent time with the giver of all beauty, are you prepared for the message you need to convey?
My answer was "No". Suddenly my mission for a haircut was diverted and I ended up at a small country church that I grew up in. It was dusk and I found myself surrounded with true loveliness, and peace. I sat on the front steps of that church, notebook and bible in hand and watched the sun set in front of me. I enjoyed the quietness for a while and then began to pray. "Okay God, I'm ready to take notes". Pen in hand, I waited and nothing came. After awhile I took a walk though the graveyard to three crosses that stood in a distance. The middle one had a crown of thorns hung around it. I stared at that crown and was reminded of what Jesus did for me. I bowed low at the cross and wept. After a while I stood and walked back to my car, realizing the purpose of my being there was to be emptied. Poured out, to be filled with God's spirit, true beauty. I did not have a new haircut, but I had a new found confidence in who I really was. The daughter of a King, a princess. Now that is beautiful...

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Kristin Spehar