We may be asked to stretch our minds around a concept that is not comforting for us. It may be a self-revelation that carries emotional implications. By holding on to the faithful One, we can survive our growing pains. Calling the elevator when we are in the depths of a “mood” means that Jesus can walk on water! He will deliver us out of “worthless” feelings. -Teresa

Mark 6: 45-52 (ESV)

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night[b] he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Not only were Aaron and his sons ordained by God but they lived through the experience. For seven days they were required to stay in the tent of meeting and fulfill their duties to boil and eat the flesh and bread from the ordination offering basket, burning any leftovers. When Jesus calls us to follow him, he pulls us away from worldly concerns to meet with Him, eat His flesh which is the bread of life. When He becomes our food and drink, we not only live but find life abundantly! – Teresa

 Leviticus 8: 30-36 ( ESV)

30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and also on his sons and his sons’ garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

31 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32 And what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn up with fire. 33 And you shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for it will take seven days to ordain you. 34 As has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. 35 At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the Lord has charged, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded.” 36 And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded by Moses.

There are times when our greatest creations start to crumble. One thing is certain, for the humble to rejoice our soul must boast only in the Lord. When YHWH is put in His rightful position as Lord, we can take ourselves off the throne and take rest in His abundant strength and overall magnificence! – Teresa

 Psalm 34:1-10 (ESV)

34 I will bless the Lord at all times;

    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

    let the humble hear and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

    and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me

    and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,

    and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

    and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps

    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

    for those who fear him have no lack!

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;

    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

This picture of our daughter was posted on her salon website for years. During the ten years she worked as a hair stylist, she helped me with various oils and concotions for my hair to make it more manageable and ultimately more beautiful. The priesthood of the Old Testament had a specific recipe for the annointing oil used to consecrate themselves when engaged in service to God. In the New Testament, we also as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have been annointed with oil (the Holy Spirit) so that our lives will be an aroma pleasing to God. When we keep in step with the Spirit, our lives serve Him. – Teresa 

Exodus 30:22-33 (ESV)

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin[d] of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

Although no one knows the day, we are sure of one thing- it will be unexpected when He comes again. Those who are faithfully doing His will (aka wise because they fear God more than society) do this by carefully watching over those in their care. Are we ready (with eyes wide open) waiting for the unexpected?- Teresa #carefortheorphansnadwidowsindistress

Matthew 24: 34-51 (ESV)

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,[a] but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,[b] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[c] and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Because He carried us on eagle’s wings, we can find stability in a culture that may not always stand upright. This “not so subtle” selfie was taken at the Women of Faith conference a few years ago. I’ll never forget one of the women who sat near us. Her eyes were full of admiration at my girls. She felt that the passing on of faith to the next generation had been all but lost. I didn’t appreciate her wonder at the time but am beginning to see how amazing God is!! – Teresa #Godofwondersbeyondourgalaxy

Exodus 19: 3-6 (ESV)

 The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ 

…Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1 KJV). When my father was dying, I struggled with not wanting to say goodbye. I snuck down the stairs quietly to catch my flight early that morning. Since his bedroom was at the bottom of the stairway, I was hoping not to disturb him. He heard me and called me in for a parting acknowledgement and hug. A short time later my husband and I were flying back when his condition deteriorated. I called home at the connecting flight and found out that he had already passed on to a better place. He asked about me before he died and where I was. My sister told him that I was with Mike (my husband). He had faith that I would be cared for since I was with my husband and more importantly he had faith that he was securely accepted with God based on his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity!- Teresa #wegrieveasthosewhohavehope

 Matthew 21: 18-22 (ESV)

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

When refreshing water is available yet the tempation is to drink from polluted sources, we must remember the treasure God provides. God sees and ponders all our paths! Like the Psalmist we can say, He has shown us the path of life, in His presence is fullness of joy. Without Him first, our thirst cannot be sated whether from pure or polluted water. – Teresa #newcreationinChrist

Proverbs 5:15-21 (ESV)

15 Drink water from your own cistern,

    flowing water from your own well.

16 Should your springs be scattered abroad,

    streams of water in the streets?

17 Let them be for yourself alone,

    and not for strangers with you.

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

    and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;

    be intoxicated[a] always in her love.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman

    and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?[b]

21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,

    and he ponders[c] all his paths.

When it is in someone’s power to do good but they choose not to do it, there may be torment instead of love. Perfect love is in the assurance that we are the apple of His eye, hidden by the shadow of His wing. Love is the promise of Christ’s righteousness as enough to bring us into God’s presence being delivered by His powerful sword (the Word of God).-Teresa

 Psalm 17: 8-15 (ESV)

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;

    hide me in the shadow of your wings,

9 from the wicked who do me violence,

    my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They close their hearts to pity;

    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

11 They have now surrounded our steps;

    they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

12 He is like a lion eager to tear,

    as a young lion lurking in ambush.

13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!

    Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

14 from men by your hand, O Lord,

    from men of the world whose portion is in this life.[b]

You fill their womb with treasure;[c]

    they are satisfied with children,

    and they leave their abundance to their infants.

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;

    when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

   After Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and prevailed, he was no longer afraid of his brother, Esau. Jacob learned a valuable lesson that no matter how much he deserved retribution for being deceptive, he was now a different person. He longed for God’s blessing, which was more valuable to him than acting on his natural instincts of outfoxing others.- Teresa #strengthinhumility

Genesis 32: 22- 33:3 (ESV)

22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[c] and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[d] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[e] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

Jacob Meets Esau

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.