Inspiring or Draining?

By Kathy Pollard

There are several variations of a quote that goes something like, “People can inspire you or they can drain you…choose wisely.” Sage advice if it’s true that we become like the people we spend the most time with. We need to invest in relationships that will bring out the best in us, and be careful around those whose disagreeable traits could rub off on us.

Don’t you think it’s pretty easy to tell the difference? When I think of those who inspire me, I can rattle off several reasons why. The same goes for those who drain me (that sounds harsh, I know). Here’s how that looks to me:

Inspiring

  • expresses love
  • encourages
  • compliments
  • looks for the positive
  • cheerful disposition
  • instills courage in others
  • sees the good in others
  • expresses gratitude
  • patient
  • smiles
  • warm
  • pays attention
  • brings people together
  • engages
  • tries new things
  • shares
  • speech reflects a Phil. 4:8 mind

Draining

  • complains
  • criticizes
  • points out the negative
  • finds fault
  • fuels drama
  • angers easily
  • impatient
  • gossips
  • self-absorbed
  • always a victim
  • puts others down
  • sarcastic
  • argumentative
  • interrupts
  • moody
  • distracted
  • doesn’t do anything they don’t want to

With as much grace as possible, you can probably think of the people in your circle and see which list they tend to fall under. It’s a fairly easy discernment to make, right?

Okay, having said all that…it wouldn’t be very fair for this quote to be so one-sided. Otherwise it becomes a selfish exercise.

You’re good for me. Let’s hang out.

I’m tired of your constant griping. Buh-bye.

The rest of the quote should be something like, “You can inspire others or you can drain them. Choose wisely.” Perhaps this should be our greater focus. Instead of inspecting the strengths and flaws of others, what if we looked a little closer at ourselves in light of those two lists? Ah, but this is not as easy to discern because I know the excuses behind my complaints and criticisms. I know I’m exhausted, or in the midst of a trial, or disappointed, or having the worst day ever… Whatever the reason, the effect is the same. My attitude impacts those around me. With every encounter, I am defining myself as an inspirer or a drainer, and I am the only one who chooses which it shall be.

I know which one I want to be. How about you? No one’s going to perfectly live out the inspiring list, and I know for a fact that there are some doozies on that drainer list that I need to work on. Let’s commit to bringing out the best in each other, okay?

Happy New Year, friends. 2 Cor. 4:16!

Written on Our Hearts

By Janelle Pollard

Most of my life, I’ve heard that I should be memorizing Scripture. From Bible class teachers, parents, college professors, and more. Some Scriptures you hear and read so much, you don’t have to work to memorize it. You already know it. It’s already written on your heart. And if you’ve used the same Bible for years, you can probably even find exactly which verse you’re looking for not by the book name or chapter, but by the location on the page. There are many places in Scripture that we can find the author encouraging the reader to memorize Scripture. But why? 

“Why is it so important to memorize Scripture if I have access to the Bible at all times?” 

Well, there’s actually more than one answer to that question…

  1. Because God said so. This is one of those answers we probably heard as children. And the principle remains, God is our Father and we must do what He says. Thankfully, the things He says are out of love and give us many blessings. His commands are a blessing! 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

  1. Because of others’ examples:

-Jesus memorized Scripture 

Matthew 21:42- Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

-David memorized Scripture

Psalm 119:11- “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

    3. We don’t know that we will always have easy access to the Bible. 

What if in our lifetime, having a Bible wasn’t legal anymore? Sounds dramatic and probably a little conspiracy theory-ish, but when I was a kid, had you told me that one day, God would be taken out of schools and our country would be run by people who wanted this, I wouldn’t have believed you. But we are living in a world where that is unfortunately becoming the norm. If there is a chance that we could have our Bibles taken and wouldn’t be able to remember what they say without them right in front of us, shouldn’t we be memorizing everything they say and writing them on our hearts so we can always have them as guidance, even if not as physical guides?

  1. That we may not sin against God.

Psalm 37:31 says, “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.” And in chapter 119:11, the psalmist writes, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” We should meditate on and memorize Scripture so that we won’t sin against God. If His Word is what we think about more often that what we see on TV or on our phones, we will be a lot more aware of our behaviors and our speech, and our character will be more like God’s. 

But how??

Most people say that are not good at memorization. But I bet you would be surprised at how good you could be if you just stuck with it! Here are a few ways you can try for yourself:

  1. Just the first letters

Something that has worked for me is just writing the first letter of each word. 

For example: Using the verse listed above, Ps. 119:11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” we will just take out the first letter of each word:

IHSUYWIMH,TIMNSAY

P119:11

That way, you can have a little help without seeing the whole word! You can write these letters on post-it notes throughout your house and every time you see them, you must recite the verse out loud. I have even written the letters on my hand before so I can practice throughout the day when not at home.

  1. Bible Memory Apps (just search for this and you will find several options!)
  2. Spiral Index Card Notebook– writing is a great way to learn a verse- and you can quiz yourself with this format!
  3. Dry Erase Board– write the verse out and erase one word at a time, seeing how many times you can recite it, as you take away more and more words.

Scripture Memorization doesn’t have to be dull! There are many ways to commit the Bible to memory and you will be blessed for writing it on your heart! 

Share with us what methods you have used to memorize Scripture!

When the Rubber Meets the Road

By Emily Pollard

We’ve all heard the phrase, “When it rains, it pours.” While there are rare occasions that we might get to focus on a single responsibility or situation, most of our time is spent juggling several simultaneously. When one challenge arises, we expect a few more to come knocking. While this can be overwhelming (a feeling Satan just loves for us to have), these are the times in our life when we find out what we’re really made of. When it seems hardest to make a godly decision, when it seems impossible to know the right answer, when you don’t WANT to do the right thing, when the rubber meets the road, your response reveals the contents of your heart. Over the past few weeks, I have seen fellow Christians, young children, and total strangers whose lives have been turned upside down by tragedy, uncertainty, and harm. In moments like these, we must ask ourselves: When the rubber meets the road, who am I? In His word, God tells us how we can know who we truly are. The following questions paired with scripture help us answer this question for ourselves. 

>>When life gets hard what do I cling to for comfort? 

1. Read Numbers 13:25-14:4… After spying out the land of Canaan, fear turned the Israelites’ hearts back towards Egypt. They had finally set their eyes upon the promised land…but it wasn’t that simple. Canaan was filled with bigger, stronger men than the Israelites. Instead of marching forth in faith to overtake the land, the Israelites’ response was to retreat to their past lives in slavery to Egypt. When life gets hard, do I miss my past life without God?

2. Read Psalm 18:29-31…When David was surrounded by adversity, his gut reaction was to cry out to God. David relied solely on the power, perfection, and precepts of God to pull him through. When life gets hard, is turning to Him my gut reaction?

>>How much can my faith take? 

1.     Read Job 2:9…Job’s wife endured suffering and loss alongside Job, but her faith in God had its limits. Faithfulness to God wasn’t worth the pain. When our faith crumbles, our hope is lost along with it. Job’s wife allowed present sorrows to overshadow her trust in God. At what point does life shake my faith? How much can life dish out before my faith in God’s way and word weakens?

2.     Read Job 2:10…Job kept his faith, knowing that hardships are inevitable. God blesses, but He also disciplines those He loves (Heb. 12:6-7).

>>Do I let my own life take away from the good I can do for others? 

1.     Read Phil. 2:3-11… Christ knew the pain, temptation, and ridicule that awaited, yet His heart was not consumed with His own grief. Pain was part of the process. The sole purpose of Jesus’ life was to offer healing, hope, and salvation to others. Our Savior’s earthly hardships never swayed Him from His Heavenly purpose. Do I allow my own stress and difficulties to distract me from lightening the burdens of others?

“Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil and let us see what we are made of.”

– Charles Spurgeon

Worry

By Chelsea Pollard

Arthur Somers Roche said, “Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

We define worry as: “a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.”

Anxious, uncertain, concerned. Does that sound familiar? I find it funny that the definition includes not only actual problems, but potential ones! Anxiety can easily get the best of you, and it’s overwhelming. I’d like to take a look at Matthew 6:25-34 and see what Jesus has to say.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Jesus uses two examples to show how creation is cared for: birds and flowers. Both are fragile and short lived, but they are still taken care of. The birds are fed and the wildflowers grow beautifully, only to be here for a short time. Why are we worried, when we are more valuable to Him?

Verse 27 stands out to me, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” We know that worrying doesn’t help a thing, but it seems to difficult to manage. But, why? He’s got us.

In verse 32, Jesus says: “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” We shouldn’t let our anxieties control us, because we have Him on our side. We should know, that He knows!

He continues to say in verse 33 that if we focus our energy on His church, His family and align our moral standard with His, He will take care of us.

It’s interesting how we can relax on a plane, but not know the pilot. We step onto a plane with the confidence that the pilot knows what he is doing. The pilot will fly you safely to your destination. Why can’t we relax in life knowing that God is in control? He’s here for you, He loves you and wants you to know that you’re taken care of. It really is a comforting thought, as He is the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). Go to Him with your concerns and once you do, let them go.

We often sing “Bring Christ Your Broken Life” and it serves as a great reminder:

“Bring Him your every care, if great or small. Whatever troubles you – oh, bring it all. Bring Him the haunting fears, the nameless dread. Your heart He will relieve, and lift up your head.”

Tips for Dealing with the Winter Blues

By Kathy Pollard

Some people really struggle with feeling blah when darkness descends so much earlier. Here it’s getting dark around 4:30 p.m. so by the time it’s 8:30, it feels much later. It takes some getting used to! If the shorter days are getting you down, try a few of these simple tips and see if they help:

  • Eat some citrus as it starts to get dark. The smell of citrus is a natural mood lifter. Grab a couple of cuties and enjoy the taste of sunshine.
  • Take Vitamin D.
  • Drink more water. You may not feel like drinking cold water when all you want is a hot cup of coffee, but your body really needs it. The last thing you need is to fuddle your brain with dehydration. Plus, your skin will thank you.
  • Get outside for a bit everyday, no matter the weather.
  • Keep moving! You may feel like hunkering down under a blanket but surprise your body by going for a walk or going up and down the stairs a few times. It will warm your muscles, wake up your mind, and is perhaps one of the best things for mental health.
  • Try yoga. Find an instructor on YouTube that you like and just spend 15 minutes stretching your body. You will feel good all over.
  • Cook with lemon and lime. Lots of wholesome foods (like chicken, fish, whole grains, beans, and all kinds of greens) taste wonderful topped with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.
  • Cook with green herbs and warming spices. Not only will they awaken your taste buds but they’re good for you, too.
  • BRIGHTEN someone else’s day. A fun winter challenge could be to lift at least one person each day. Send a thoughtful text or card. Offer sincere compliments to the people you run across. Express appreciation. Do a small act of service. Surprise your spouse in a sweet way. It’s amazing how doing for others is a double blessing. It encourages them and ends up making you feel so good, too.
  • Saturate your soul with SONshine. There are many Bible verses that will cheer you from the inside out. A quick Google search is a great starting point. You can search “Scriptures about light” or “Scriptures about shining.” For example, “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned” (Matt. 4:16). You could start your own “SONlight” journal by jotting down a verse each day.
  • Pray. God knows, cares, and always listens.
  • Smile! Besides, everyone looks better when they’re smiling. 🙂
  • Sing. Especially hymns. They’re not just for church and will lift your heart.

For those struggling with clinical depression or anxiety, these tips aren’t meant to take the place of professional care and counseling. But I think they can serve as a little extra TLC to help you get through the challenging winter months.

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My Happiness or Yours?

By Kathy Pollard

I have always been a hugger. Even as a child, I hugged everyone in church. I enjoyed it and naturally assumed that everyone else did, too. A few years ago I learned that some people aren’t crazy about it. In addition to hugging, I have always been a hand-holder during prayers. Whether in worship, fellowship, our home table, or at a restaurant, it was a very natural thing for me to grab the hands of the people next to me. It never dawned on me that some people don’t care for that. I now know that there are many who are so uncomfortable if someone grabs their hand that they can hardly focus on the prayer itself.

I’m ashamed to admit that my initial reaction to these discoveries wasn’t great. My first thought was, “What is wrong with them?” I could hardly fathom the idea of someone not liking a hug because to me, hugs equaled warmth and affection. My second reaction was selfish and resentful. “What about my wants and needs? Surely my soul will shrivel up in such a sterile, non-hugging environment!” And then my pride reared its ugly head. “Fine. See if I ever offer warmth and affection ever again.” After all, I felt a bit foolish. How many people had I hugged through the years without realizing my actions made them uncomfortable? Yes, I let Satan have a heyday with my heart.

How many lessons have I heard (and taught!) about the “others above self” mentality of Philippians 2? Or the kind of love that leads to unity from Romans 12? Or the “love for one another” that Jesus said identifies us as His followers in John 13? Yet there I was wrestling with it all when surprised by another point of view. Apparently it’s all well and good for us to have differences until it affects me personally or calls for me to make a change. I wish I could say that I recognized my self-problem as quickly as it took me to acknowledge it in these couple of paragraphs. But I am grateful for a couple of things I did finally see through the process.

Growth. Learning that there are some who don’t like hugs forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I’m an introvert and find it way easier to express love, joy, concern, or sympathy through hugs than through words. It also gave me an opportunity to see my unintentional self-centeredness. I realized I have to actually learn about others in order to know how they need to receive love. I need to pay attention to them instead of assuming they think, feel, and act like I do. Imagine that!

Jesus said, “Love one another even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). He had just demonstrated that love through the humble service of foot washing. He said, “I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (v. 15). He also said, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (v. 17). Knowing and doing are two different things. How easy it is to get caught up in our rights and our feelings, to swallow Satan’s lie that our own happiness reigns supreme! But when we do, we make ourselves miserable. Jesus knows what’s best for His body, including each individual part, including me. Focusing on self doesn’t lead to happiness. The blessed life comes from caring more about others. It causes growth, stretching, learning, and experiencing in ways that we can’t when we’re wrapped up in ourselves.

Grace. I learned about the folks who don’t like hand-holding in a social media thread. Someone posted a  question about it and I was amazed at all the comments. My eyes landed on one comment about a woman’s complete discomfort with having her hand held and I thought, “Oh no…I know for a fact that I’ve grabbed her hand during a prayer!”

It took me a while to realize that people have been extending grace to me for a long time. I was in my 40s before I learned that some people don’t like hugs or hand-holding. Why is that? Because no one ever rejected a hug from me or pushed me away or embarrassed me by saying, “I’d rather you not do that.” Even though they didn’t really care for it, they cared for me. That’s just the way I am and so they put up with it, at their own expense. I’m humbled by the realization.

Jesus poured water in the basin and went from one set of dirty feet to another. I put myself in His place as He came upon the feet of Judas. I imagine I would whisper, “Nope,” and move on to the next disciple. But the next disciple is Peter. It blows my mind that Jesus knew they would soon betray Him and deny Him but He knelt down before them anyway. He offered grace in advance. 

I rarely reach for a hand during prayer unless it’s immediate family, and I’m a lot less likely to hug someone when I see them. But you’ll be relieved to know that my soul didn’t shrivel up after all. I’ve learned that people express warmth and affection in lots of different ways, and they’re good ways! I could’ve saved myself some heartache if I had been more like Jesus with grace in advance. Intentional grace. Others will not always understand me and I will not always understand them. But I can determine ahead of time how I will respond when this happens. With love and grace, we can grow through this.

“My happiness or yours” sounds like something that could foster a begrudging mindset. “One of us must lose and so I guess as a Christian I should let you win and have your way.” Satan would love that. There’s no love there or compassion or grace or unity. Just keeping track and keeping score. Jesus taught a different mindset: lay aside yourself for the good of others. And followed that up with His promise, “You will be blessed.”

29496149_10215479645814560_6985341544723120128_n
Photo cred: Lynn Hite, friend and fellow-hugger

My Happiness or Yours?

By Kathy Pollard

I have always been a hugger. Even as a child, I hugged everyone in church. I enjoyed it and naturally assumed that everyone else did, too. A few years ago I learned that some people aren’t crazy about it. In addition to hugging, I have always been a hand-holder during prayers. Whether in worship, fellowship, our home table, or at a restaurant, it was a very natural thing for me to grab the hands of the people next to me. It never dawned on me that some people don’t care for that. I now know that there are many who are so uncomfortable if someone grabs their hand that they can hardly focus on the prayer itself.

I’m ashamed to admit that my initial reaction to these discoveries wasn’t great. My first thought was, “What is wrong with them?” I could hardly fathom the idea of someone not liking a hug because to me, hugs equaled warmth and affection. My second reaction was selfish and resentful. “What about my wants and needs? Surely my soul will shrivel up in such a sterile, non-hugging environment!” And then my pride reared its ugly head. “Fine. See if I ever offer warmth and affection ever again.” After all, I felt a bit foolish. How many people had I hugged through the years without realizing my actions made them uncomfortable? Yes, I let Satan have a heyday with my heart.

How many lessons have I heard (and taught!) about the “others above self” mentality of Philippians 2? Or the kind of love that leads to unity from Romans 12? Or the “love for one another” that Jesus said identifies us as His followers in John 13? Yet there I was wrestling with it all when surprised by another point of view. Apparently it’s all well and good for us to have differences until it affects me personally or calls for me to make a change. I wish I could say that I recognized my self-problem as quickly as it took me to acknowledge it in these couple of paragraphs. But I am grateful for a couple of things I did finally see through the process.

Growth. Learning that there are some who don’t like hugs forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I’m an introvert and find it way easier to express love, joy, concern, or sympathy through hugs than through words. It also gave me an opportunity to see my unintentional self-centeredness. I realized I have to actually learn about others in order to know how they need to receive love. I need to pay attention to them instead of assuming they think, feel, and act like I do. Imagine that!

Jesus said, “Love one another even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). He had just demonstrated that love through the humble service of foot washing. He said, “I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (v. 15). He also said, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (v. 17). Knowing and doing are two different things. How easy it is to get caught up in our rights and our feelings, to swallow Satan’s lie that our own happiness reigns supreme! But when we do, we make ourselves miserable. Jesus knows what’s best for His body, including each individual part, including me. Focusing on self doesn’t lead to happiness. The blessed life comes from caring more about others. It causes growth, stretching, learning, and experiencing in ways that we can’t when we’re wrapped up in ourselves.

Grace. I learned about the folks who don’t like hand-holding in a social media thread. Someone posted a  question about it and I was amazed at all the comments. My eyes landed on one comment about a woman’s complete discomfort with having her hand held and I thought, “Oh no…I know for a fact that I’ve grabbed her hand during a prayer!”

It took me a while to realize that people have been extending grace to me for a long time. I was in my 40s before I learned that some people don’t like hugs or hand-holding. Why is that? Because no one ever rejected a hug from me or pushed me away or embarrassed me by saying, “I’d rather you not do that.” Even though they didn’t really care for it, they cared for me. That’s just the way I am and so they put up with it, at their own expense. I’m humbled by the realization.

Jesus poured water in the basin and went from one set of dirty feet to another. I put myself in His place as He came upon the feet of Judas. I imagine I would whisper, “Nope,” and move on to the next disciple. But the next disciple is Peter. It blows my mind that Jesus knew they would soon betray Him and deny Him but He knelt down before them anyway. He offered grace in advance. 

I rarely reach for a hand during prayer unless it’s immediate family, and I’m a lot less likely to hug someone when I see them. But you’ll be relieved to know that my soul didn’t shrivel up after all. I’ve learned that people express warmth and affection in lots of different ways, and they’re good ways! I could’ve saved myself some heartache if I had been more like Jesus with grace in advance. Intentional grace. Others will not always understand me and I will not always understand them. But I can determine ahead of time how I will respond when this happens. With love and grace, we can grow through this.

“My happiness or yours” sounds like something that could foster a begrudging mindset. “One of us must lose and so I guess as a Christian I should let you win and have your way.” Satan would love that. There’s no love there or compassion or grace or unity. Just keeping track and keeping score. Jesus taught a different mindset: lay aside yourself for the good of others. And followed that up with His promise, “You will be blessed.”

29496149_10215479645814560_6985341544723120128_n
Photo cred: Lynn Hite, friend and fellow-hugger

Dual Citizenship

By Emily Pollard

Civic freedom is a privilege Americans have had for centuries. It is also something many people around the world have never experienced. Throughout history, both free and tyrannical governments have risen and fallen. As Americans, we bask in the glory of our freedom. We exercise our rights. We even take freedom for granted, while citizens of socialist and communist nations long for the freedom we have. When our freedom is threatened, we feel like it’s the end of the world. But the bottom line is, whether living in a free country or an oppressive one, Christians are citizens of a different nation altogether. We are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” of God’s (1 Pet. 2:9). Paul explains this also in his letter to the Philippian church…

“But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.”

Philippians 3:20-21

At every turn, we’re bombarded with news of corruption, injustice, and oppression around the world. Fear strikes our hearts at immorality that is accepted and even encouraged. We react with fear because we know our native country to be our homeland, and as the world moves further from Truth, we feel less and less at home. Certainly, Paul knows exactly how this feels as he wrote the book of Philippians in jail after being arrested for sharing Jesus.

            But the beauty of belonging to God’s kingdom is that we have a better home waiting. Through civil unrest or persecution, Christians on earth have an opportunity to live exemplary lives (1 Pet. 2:11-12, 15) and become more like Christ (1 Pet. 2:21-23) through trials. Even more so, in death, the faithful Christian has nothing to lose and everything to gain (1 Cor. 15:53-56). Whether we’re talking about cancel-culture or blatant persecution (both of which happen today), Paul’s message rings true. We must never let the instability of this world overshadow the glory of Heaven. No matter what happens, our homeland is Heaven, and our Ruler is God.

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(Photo credit:  Kellsey Erin Photography)

NOW Year’s Resolution

By Janelle Pollard

Now Year’s Resolution

It’s hard to believe there’s only two months left in 2021. The holidays always seem to fly by and before we know it, the new year will be upon us. This is when we usually start to decide on resolutions…things we want to try, give up, or finally accomplish. Many habits are hard to break and there’s something about a new year that gives us hope for a fresh start. When it comes to our spiritual lives, thankfully, we don’t need to wait (and really, shouldn’t!) for a new year to start a new habit. 

I can think back to certain Bible studies and ladies’ classes I’ve been to and can remember listening to some ladies who I knew without a doubt had a strong faith and knowing that it didn’t happen by chance. I knew that they didn’t just wake up one day and have a strong prayer life and disciplined Bible study habits. My first thoughts tended to be, “They’re probably way more disciplined of a person than I am,” or “maybe one day I’ll be as strong as they are,” or “I don’t even know where to start to develop habits like they have,” and would be a little discouraged that a mountain was ahead of me that I really didn’t know how to climb. But what it is important after thoughts like those are to recognize that they are not true. Those are thoughts that Satan wants us to think so that we won’t even try. But as they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

As a southerner, I’m ashamed to admit that I really don’t like vegetables. Like, any of them. And I never have, especially as a kid. I mean, I will eat them and they’re not that bad but I would rather have cake. However, I know that to be healthy, I need to eat vegetables and the more I eat them, I find that I enjoy them a little more than I used to. If I want them to be part of my meals every day, would I start by cooking 5 different vegetables for every meal and expect to enjoy them? Probably not the best way to start. But, if I decided to have one vegetable a day for a week, and then add another the next week, while finding different ways to cook and season them, over time I would find that they’re much more enjoyable and would become a daily habit that is part of every meal. 

If I expect to become a strong Christian overnight, but never work to add daily prayer and Bible study to my daily habits, I will be in for a disappointing reality. Small daily changes will lead to big, lifelong results. But, we must put in the effort to reap the benefits, now and eternally.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 

2 Peter 3:18

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Humble and Kind

By Chelsea Pollard

For someone who doesn’t listen to modern country much, one of my favorites is Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw. The tune is lovely, but I mainly appreciate the reminder. 

I’d like to believe that I don’t really need the reminder because this isn’t a problem for me. I think I’m a very kind person! I don’t think I’m prideful, so I’m already humble? As much as I hate to admit it, I am humbled very often. It mainly shows me that it’s my attitude and my mindset that is flawed. Now, it’s just up to me to learn from it. 

The most recent event happened while I was at work. I run a small cafe in a medical building and normally, I close at 4 pm but I decided I wanted to leave just a few minutes early. I figured I could have everything finished and leave around 3:45. It’s only a 15 minute head start to get home, but that sounded nice! A little after 3, a woman came up and started asking all kinds of questions. She was alone, around 60 years old and in a wheelchair, so she couldn’t see the displays very well. She started asking about the drinks, the lunch items, the snacks, the whole nine. She wanted to know what they were, the ingredients, the sugar content and I was totally fine with that! But the minutes started to drag on and I was getting a little annoyed. Like come on, I want to leave a little early! How dare she. 

Well, this conversation unfolded like they usually do. We started to learn more about each other, like where we are from and what brought us here. We’re both transplants, so we talked about how much we liked our town and enjoyed living in the south, her being from the north and me from the west. Talked about how crazy we thought the world was and we just wish we could be united again, live in peace with everyone. At some point in the conversation, she asked me “Are you a woman of faith?” I told her I was. She didn’t go much into detail, but what I gathered is that she is very spiritual. She kept telling me to “never lose faith.” She told me about her life and the health issues she had when she was very young and how that led her to where she was. She had cancer and diabetes in her early 20s, but she was grateful and said she was blessed. She beat the cancer, she lost all her weight and even though that put her in a wheelchair, she felt blessed. 

She had to take medical transport to get to her appointment and the reason she was “talking my ear off”, was because she was waiting for her ride and boy, how they were making her wait. She never complained, she was extremely pleasant, she was so positive and excited about everything we were talking about. Once 3:45 hit, she decided to call her ride again, get an ETA on the driver. I knew I needed to start closing up so I told her it was lovely talking to her, but she quickly got on her phone call. I wanted to give her her privacy so I stepped into the back for just a moment, but when I came out, she was on her way out the door. Then I noticed that she had left me a gift, right by my register. It was a beautiful necklace, a cross with small heart wrapped around it. Cue the humbling. 

I genuinely enjoyed our conversation and I just couldn’t believe that I was annoyed, inconvenienced even. Here was this beautiful soul, having a conversation with me, but that’s not how I saw it. Not at first, anyway. I realized just how selfish I was being, like it wasn’t worth my time. I have loved getting to know people at my job for the last year and a half, so you’d think I’d know by now. But at times, I need to be reminded. Especially as Christians, it’s important to not only see the person, but the soul and treat them as such. In a sermon, Hiram Kemp said “Every time we look at the face of another human being, we are seeing an extension of God’s love.” That really stuck with me, especially after that day. 

“Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.“  Galatians 6:10

She was still waiting outside as I left. I made sure to stop, tell her how much I appreciated the sweet gift and appreciated her. Once again, she told me to never lose faith. I will remember her and try my absolute best to keep the mindset that God wants me to have for His creation. 

“Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you

When you get where you’re going don’t forget turn back around

And help the next one in line

Always stay humble and kind.” 

 

May be an image of 1 person and standing