Domonic, our two and a half year old grandson was “helping” Papa (Grandpa) do some much-needed spring clean up in the back yard. Our backyard is terraced, so when we went to the second layer he started to cry. I asked him why he was crying, and he said, “Me Scaredy!”  It turned out he was scared because he had seen the wild deer wander across that part of the yard in the past, and he was afraid that they might come while we were there. I sat down and enfolded him in my arms, then asked, “Do you think Papa can take care of you? Do you think your Papa can chase the deer away?” He calmed down and seemed to like the idea that Papa could chase the “scary” deer away.

I realized I am not so different than Domonic. I have fears, too. I attempt to deal with fears in a variety of ways. I don’t tend to cry like Domonic did, but I get mad, worried, withdrawn, defensive, over analytical or immobilized, just to mention a few. In the same way that I enfolded Domonic in my arms and assured him I could take care of him, I need to experience God’s embrace in moments of fear and be reassured.

I remember one dark star-filled night walking alone, perplexed and with tears running down my face, crying out to God for help. His response was not verbal but it was so clear. It was as if God was saying to me, His child, “Who made these stars and put them in place? Do you think I’m big enough to handle your problems and fears?” In that moment my fears seemed to shrink, and in a fresh way I understood God’s presence and power. The problem did not go away but I had confidence to move forward knowing God would care of me.

In a world that has many uncertainties the words from Psalm 147 can bring comfort. God is big enough to comfort His child in the midst of all possible fears!

“Praise the Lord!  For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming. The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. The Lord supports the afflicted; He brings down the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:1-6 (NIV).

Questions: How do you respond in the face of fear? What steps can you start to take to help you face the future positively and without fear?

About the Author Mike Woodard

Struggling in your marriage? Do you feel angry at God?  Talk to a mentor.

I witnessed a small child’s angst in a very public place. We all have at one time or another, right? Maybe with our own kids.

Something in this child, maybe hunger or tiredness or frustration, triggered it to stomp its tiny foot, sit down in the middle of the aisle and scream “NO!” The ear-piercing tears began. No coaxing would work. Attempts to get the child up only made it scream louder. The mom knelt down and waited to get a word in edgewise. She focused solely on her child, not the reactions of others around her.  She let her little one scream it out, then as the sobs subsided, she took control back.

I admit it. Lately I have been prone to spiritual two-year old tantrums.  Try as I might to squelch them, they bubble up inside of me. It is one of those “Why does it have to be this way?” and “Why does it have to be so hard?” times in several areas of my life.

But I have learned that God doesn’t ignore my silent tantrums (silent to the rest of the world, at least) that scream so loud deep inside me. He whispers through them into my heart. He has brought people to me with words of conviction, not patronizing platitudes.  He has opened Scripture to my mind, like this one today. Like that mother with the screaming toddler, God stays focused on me, waiting for me to calm down and take a breath so He can get a word in edgewise and take control again.

God does answer us in the way He knows we need. We just may not always be listening because we are so caught up in the moment of being, well, human beings with hurts, faults and anxieties.  Sometimes, tantrums almost seem comfortable, as non-productive as they are. They are excuses for not moving forward. Exhausted, frustrated, or angry, we just do not want to budge any further. We plop ourselves down, arms crossed and refuse to move another step, just like that toddler exhibiting newly found self will.

But our Heavenly Father is patient and slow to anger. He stays right there waiting for us to get it out of our system, calm back down and listen to reasoning. Only then can His Word come to life for us, words that pick us up, dry our tears and encourage us to move forward again, holding onto Daddy’s hand.

“Let my cry come before you,
O Lord; give me understanding according to your word!
Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word” (vv 169-170).

Question: Do you ever feel like screaming at God? Do you think it is Okay to do that?

About the Author Julie Cosgrove

People are generally encouraged, and expected, to be strong.

According to stats from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, women cry approximately 5.3 per month, which is over 4x more often than men, who cry an average of 1.4 times per month. I don’t remember ever seeing my dad cry. Even after my grandfather passed away (his father, whom he had been close to) there were no tears shed. Often crying, seen as a form of weakness, is subtly or not so subtly discouraged.

Sometimes we cry over trivial matters, like watching a sad movie. Sometimes we cry tears of joy (the statistics in the Atlanta Journal don’t specify the source of the tears).

But in many cases, these tears will be brought on by all-too-real life circumstances, trying to be strong, and holding in our anxieties until a person finally cries out for help.

Sometimes it’s difficult to talk with our friends and family about the issues that are nagging at us. I know that I find it difficult. I feel like I don’t want to burden others with my problems. Even moreso, I am concerned about how they might react. And I don’t like feeling weak, given that we are culturally expected to be strong.

That’s why it can sometimes help to talk things over with a patient, caring third party. If you are going through difficult times right now, and need someone to talk to, you can try contacting an online mentor. This is a confidential service; it begins a private email conversation between you and a volunteer mentor who is familiar with your concerns. You’re free to continue the conversation or stop at any time. If you’ve been crying out for help, or feel like you’ve been getting there, please consider contacting a mentor today.

Her dining room table was cluttered with ribbon, photo edges, paper, and a pile of memories.  A dear friend has opened her home to ‘scrapbook our memories’ once a week.  About 10 years ago, I was sitting at my table with my girls, where it was stacked with glue, crayons, juice boxes and leftover cookie crumbs.  How life takes a turn but we are always making memories.

This small group consists of 4 women, 4 personalities, and 4 busy lives that are all walking in some new challenges and directions.  We have kids the same age, new roles in the workforce and home, and to top it off, we are trying to age gracefully!  We drink decaf coffee, laugh, cry, and smile at our photos and wonder where time went.

We come to the table with our memories, but we are making history.  As women we need to build strong relationships with other women, let down our guard, and become Real!  It is time to support each other, whether single or married, teens or in retirement.  I love the story of Ruth and Naomi.  It is one of my favorites found in the Bible. In the book of Ruth we found two women, two extreme ages, two nationalities, One God.  What  truly binds women close to each other is their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We have set our goals and our memories on Eternity and we move forward to make history.

Be a Listening Ear
For me, if I did not have Real women investing in my life, I am not sure how I would have reacted in some of life’s situations.  These women believed in me, handed me tissue, told me I could do this, and gave me their time.  Having a listening ear is a great gift to give to someone.  As we use our ears, we are helping heal their hearts.  It wasn’t so much the advice I received but it was the fact they cared.  Ruth listened to Naomi in their new journey as they got settled and began a new life.

Be a Prayer Support
What a privilege and honor to be able to pray for each other. What comfort to know women are praying for me, and it is wonderful to intercede for others.  We all need a prayer support during the busy lives of our households and careers.  While Ruth was out working in the fields, I am sure Naomi was talking to God about their provisions and protection.

Be an Encourager
As the 4 of us sit at the table cluttered with mess, it gives us such an amazing opportunity to help bring order and perspective of the Sunday to Saturday days of our lives. We are making history.  Two women, 1000’s of years ago did that for each other and made life-saving and redemptive history.  When I put my paper memories in my album, I am really adding memories to my heart.  When I invest in the lives of others as a listening ear, then pray for them and encourage them in their life, I am helping to make history.  What a job description!

Look around and see who you can be a support to.  Add memories to your heart and keep making history that is investing for Eternity.

Father God, thank you that You are in control.  You are History. Thank you that you continue to want to make history through us.   Help us to be sensitive to invest in other lives, create memories that glorify You each and every day.  Amen.

Questions: How are you investing your life in other women?  How have others invested in your life? What difference has it made in who you are today?

About the Author Linda Goodhand Rodgers

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Two Penny Offering, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Domonic, our two and a half year old grandson was “helping” Papa (Grandpa) do some much-needed spring clean up in the back yard. Our backyard is terraced, so when we went to the second layer he started to cry. I asked him why he was crying, and he said, “Me Scaredy!”  It turned out he was scared because he had seen the wild deer wander across that part of the yard in the past, and he was afraid that they might come while we were there. I sat down and enfolded him in my arms, then asked, “Do you think Papa can take care of you? Do you think your Papa can chase the deer away?” He calmed down and seemed to like the idea that Papa could chase the “scary” deer away.

I realized I am not so different than Domonic. I have fears, too. I attempt to deal with fears in a variety of ways. I don’t tend to cry like Domonic did, but I get mad, worried, withdrawn, defensive, over analytical or immobilized, just to mention a few. In the same way that I enfolded Domonic in my arms and assured him I could take care of him, I need to experience God’s embrace in moments of fear and be reassured.

I remember one dark star-filled night walking alone, perplexed and with tears running down my face, crying out to God for help. His response was not verbal but it was so clear. It was as if God was saying to me, His child, “Who made these stars and put them in place? Do you think I’m big enough to handle your problems and fears?” In that moment my fears seemed to shrink, and in a fresh way I understood God’s presence and power. The problem did not go away but I had confidence to move forward knowing God would care of me.

In a world that has many uncertainties the words from Psalm 147 can bring comfort. God is big enough to comfort His child in the midst of all possible fears!

“Praise the Lord!  For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming. The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. The Lord supports the afflicted; He brings down the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:1-6 (NIV).

Questions: How do you respond in the face of fear? What steps can you start to take to help you face the future positively and without fear?

About the Author Mike Woodard