HSBC Coffeebreak

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42

A couple of months ago I took a part-time temporary job as a way of making a little extra money for Christmas. It was fun, and for a time, I did not have too much trouble juggling an already busy family. I even marveled at myself at how well I was keeping the family schedule going.

Then came THAT day. Have you ever had one of those days? It started out all right. I knew I was going to have a more than average workload because I had volunteered to do a couple of extra jobs. “Don’t worry,” I gloated, “I am sure it is all under control.” I worked hard to accomplish my many tasks, but shall we say a number of complications entered the picture? So, I passed off a chaotic mess to my husband as I left for work. The poor guy did his best, but most men are not equipped to multi-task like us women (and frankly, they usually do not over commit like we do either! ha ha). He did a valiant job, but the lesson for me came when I was driving home from work. I pulled into the center lane to turn left toward our home and there right in front of me was my husband and daughter in the same center lane turning the opposite direction as he was rushing her to a birthday party. I laughed at how ridiculous it all was. We were in a race going opposite directions. Not only had we missed each other, but they also hadn’t even had any dinner, as I had underestimated the cooking time on the hastily thrown together mess of a evening meal I had made.

When I got home, I reflected on those events and how my life had changed in the previous weeks. With my newly organized schedule, I had quit doing my devotions in the morning (why is that usually the first thing to go?). In reality, I was just barely holding my days together. We rarely ate dinner as a family anymore (a precious and guarded time until now). The Lord, in His merciful and gracious way, allowed me to see that my life was out of balance and I was on a one-way course toward disaster.

I had to evaluate my day and ask myself if I was choosing the “best part.” I had added too much into my schedule and dropped the most important part. Martha did what was right and good, but for that moment, when Jesus was in their presence, Mary chose the best part and was blessed for it. Let us not forget to sit at our Savior’s feet so He can pour out the blessing of His loving presence on us, too!

Precious Jesus, King of my heart, let me not forget to sit at your feet each day. Help me to seek first your Kingdom and trust that you will take care of the details that I am worried about today.
Amen

Written by
Joanne Kauzlarich

HSBC Coffeebreak

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV

I was just unpacking a ceramic nativity set that my mom made for me. You see, she has made very few things for me, so this is a precious treasure; in fact, I have not had it out for several years because our kids were young and I wanted to protect it. I pulled the stable out of the box and started to unload its precious contents. As I unwrapped each delicate character, I found comfort in the joy and memories. Then suddenly, I was appalled and disgusted by the sight of mouse feces and urine on the wrappings and in the box. Apparently it had been “home” for a while. I was offended that a vile creature could do such a thing to my treasure that not only was a reminder of my Lord and Savior, but also a precious gift that I went through great effort to protect!

Just as quickly, the realization of what I was seeing washed over me. Is not the birth of a holy perfect Christ into an imperfect world similar? Did he not come for every depraved and “vile” soul seeking refuge and peace? And am I as overly protective of His gift that is more precious than anything as I am of my nativity scene?

Luke 2:11-12 states, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” I am in awe of my God and Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ!

Written by
Lanie White

HSBC Coffeebreak

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" — which means, "God with us.”
Matthew 1:23 NIV

So much of what we do during the Christmas season turns our attention away from Jesus, instead of towards him. Today I got out my nativity scene, and as my young daughters set it up, I was reminded again of the continual problem I had last year. The scene of Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the wise men, and shepherds looks best when you can see all their faces. But every time I set the scene up that way and leave, on my return, I find all the shepherds and wise men turned with their backs facing out, bunched up around the manger.

Reasoning with my daughters doesn’t do a lot of good, and this year, I find myself reluctant to do it anyway. To a six-year-old, four-year-old, and two-year-old, it’s very simple to determine what is important. Jesus is who everyone came to see. Jesus is the whole point, the central focus, the main attraction! Why would anyone want to look anywhere else? Why would the shepherds and the wise men travel so far, only to turn their backs on the One they came to see?

The God of the Universe humbled himself, became a man, and dwelt among us! What else in all the world is worthy of taking our attention from that?

Written by
Melody Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
Numbers 27:15-17 NIV

As I studied the book of Numbers, I was impressed with the responsibilities of Moses’ job as the Israelite’s leader. Right from the start, he had trouble with the people. They didn’t want to follow his leading; it seemed easier to stay where they were in life.

Moses earnestly sought God and God showed Himself to Moses like none other. In Numbers 12:3 we read that Moses was the most humble man ever. He set out to deliver people who had been in bondage for so long and they fought him most of the way. God performed miracle after miracle to help them escape and to show them His might. Time after time the people lost their faith, fell to fear, then grumbled and complained about their circumstances. Moses pressed on, even pleading with God to forgive their lack of faith.

I don’t know if it is because I am human or if it is because I am female, but I sure don’t like to be taken for granted. As I read through Numbers, I saw that Moses was unappreciated. So when he fell short of the mark, when he struck the rock to get water and basically took all the credit for rather than honoring God as holy, it didn’t seem like all that big of a fall. But to God, it was a huge deal. God said, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” It seems unreasonable that God would give him such harsh punishment.

Our flesh tries to weigh things out and decide what is fair. We seem to put all of the good things on one side of the scale and the bad things on the other side. From what we read about Moses, the good far outweighs the bad, so he should be in… right? This one dishonoring act that demonstrated his lack of trust in God was enough for God to make a statement. Wow! I don’t think I would have taken it as easily as Moses did. I would have been tempted to negotiate with God. If that didn’t work, I probably would have tried to stack the scales where I looked good. When that didn’t produce the results I wanted, I would have become just like all of the other Israelites… I would grumble and complain.

In chapter 27 when God tells Moses to climb the mountain and take a good look at the Promised Land and then die on that mountain top, Moses sees the Land he will never enter… the Land that he has labored and sacrificially given his life up for to lead an ungrateful people to. Moses had to have had some human feelings, but the only thing recorded is, “Moses said to the Lord, ’May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.’” When it could feel like he was getting the shaft, he chose not to fall to those feelings. His desire was for the peoples’ well being. What a testimony of leadership!

When I stop and think about it, that is exactly what Jesus did - our perfect example… loving others above self. Moses gave his life for the people and they were ungrateful.

Lord, forgive me for the times I have been ungrateful to you and to the servants you have appointed to lead me. – Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
Proverbs 4:25

Okay, let's face it, being surrounded by boxes and things that need to find their way into boxes is not my idea of fun. I had not been feeling all that agreeable with God lately as the date of my train leaving for Kraków, Poland approached -- the packing, the good-byes, the details to finish up. I felt like I was finally getting settled in my purpose as a missionary in Poznan, Poland, so moving to Krakow seemed uncomfortable. Then God showed me a glimpse of His agenda this week....

...Kasia had learned that I would no longer be in Poznan for a while. She was sad. "Theresa, I write to you with tears in my eyes that I won't able to see you before you leave. God is teaching me many lessons. One of which is to give time to others and not just keep my time to myself. Now you are gone and we cannot meet for coffee."

I wasn't thinking about Kasia when I was waiting for my bus. "No, that isn't my bus. Where is my bus? Oh, I guess I am a bit early," were the thoughts running through my head that morning. Through a course of silly events (in this day, I didn't read the clock correctly), I ended up at a bus stop too early. As I waited for my bus, another bus went by.....

The next day, Kasia wrote again. "God gave me a small surprise. I saw you waiting at a bus stop. A small gift to see you and a reminder of God's love for me and His willingness to be involved in the small things as well as the big!"

I arrived early to a bus stop. I think I did read the clock correctly, so I could be seen by a friend from the church! A reminder that if God is arranging the small things, then I guess the move (which seems big right now) is in God's hands too. In spite of the pain in moving, I know the move is part of God's agenda. Even during this time I will begin to demonstrate an "exciting faith" (as a supporter encouraged me to get a new view of moving)...that I will know that God has HIS hand on my life and if He needs me to move, by George, who am I to stubbornly disagree? So I will be moving - and experiencing the abundant life. Staying where I am will not give that life...living in His will, soaring on His wings is the only fulfilling place to be. So I will not only be packing, but doing it with a joyful heart!

Written by
Theresa Zacher

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Look at the birds of the air…. Are you not worth much more than they?”
Matthew 6:26 NASB

It came close, sucked up tight and hung on. It reminded me of its presence as it tried to dig a little deeper into my being. Its name was FEAR, and it had taken hold of me when my insides had been pierced with pain. This wasn’t the first piercing, and it seemed that each new cut went a little deeper. I trembled, I hurt, I cried and I poured my heart out to the Lord.

In the days to come, I struggled with anger toward the one who had done the piercing. A battle took place within my heart. I loved the person dearly, yet I had been hurt deeply. Worse yet, I realized my growing fear of this person. As the day approached when we would meet again, I desperately prayed that God would help me to genuinely love this person.

My Heavenly Father prompted me to reach out to another believer for prayer support and accountability, which also led me to memorize a Bible verse specifically for my situation. I chose Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

The day came and I, with a friend, set out for the journey. I sat in the passenger seat of the car recalling the verse that I had hidden in my heart. Knowing that I was weak, I had also taken my special notebook of Scripture verses with the intent to drink in God’s love and strength as we drove.

I did love the person whom I was going to see, but the pain overshadowed my love. I wanted to feel love for this person, but I didn’t. Willpower couldn’t force the shadows away. It seemed that my love for this person was all used up.

As I meditated on a few different verses, God spoke to my heart telling me that I could not love that person, but that He would love that person through me. It wouldn’t be my love, but instead, His love. Tenderly, my Heavenly Father assured me of His love for me and invited me to think about my worth in Him. I felt my Father filling me with His love and knew this was the genuine love that He would enable me to share.

I turned the page in my notebook and came upon Matthew 6:26. I sat in quiet contemplation of my worth in Christ and how God values me more than the birds of the air. I closed my eyes, soaking this truth in. Peace and strength began to overtake the dark shadows. I opened my misty eyes, still thinking of God’s amazing love and what did I see?

A beautiful bird was perched on a reed alongside the road just in front of our car. The delicate bird lifted its wings and gently flew in a small low circle beside the highway, then landed on the same reed again. By now, tears were streaming down my face.

It was late winter and this was the first bird that I had seen in months, and it was the only bird I saw that day. I believe God put that little bird there just for me. He knew exactly when I would be thinking about Matthew 6:26, and He knew exactly when I would open my eyes. In His sovereignty, God lovingly placed one of His birds in the perfect place at the perfect time. It was a beautiful and thoughtful monument of His care for me! For the rest of the day, I carried not only Isaiah 41:10 in my heart, but also a visual reminder of my Heavenly Father’s love.

God’s love overtook my fears that day. His care strengthened and enabled me to love the person whom I feared…the one who had hurt me so deeply…the one whom I had run out of love for. It was not easy. However, God had equipped me with what I needed, and He did the rest. Several times throughout the day I silently quoted Isaiah 41:10. The “bird scene” replayed in my mind, and my Heavenly Father and I engaged in silent communication many times. All glory to God, I can say that love won!

Oh Mighty Father,
Thank you for loving me with such an incredibly amazing and tender love-- that I could never deserve. I praise You for what YOU did, and I thank you for strengthening me to be a vessel of Your love in the face of fear.
Amen.

Written by
Jodeen Erickson

HSBC Coffeebreak

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’
Jeremiah 29:11 NASB

Moving with my husband to Montana six years ago seemed like an adventurous idea. However, we both began to question its logistics when I was pregnant with our first child. If their grandparents were 1700 miles away, how would our kids have a relationship with them? How would we survive without our parents around to help us?

While these questions were hard ones, the one most pressing to me was how in the world was I going to bring our new baby home from the hospital without my mom’s help? How would I know what to do?

As my pregnancy went by, we began thinking of what date to book her plane ticket. Would I go into labor early? If we booked it too early and I went overdue, it was possible she could visit for a week before the baby even arrived! We drilled my midwife for her “best guess” and each time she said, “Every baby is different.” Finally, she gave us the last day she would let me go without inducing me – two weeks after my due date. Two months before I was due, we prayed for God to guide us as we bought a ticket for my mom to come the Saturday before the Monday I could be induced. At worst, we could hang out over the weekend before baby arrived.

Our God is faithful…and our little Lucy decided to enter the world the Thursday before my mom arrived. In fact, my mom flew in the morning I was dismissed from the hospital. She rode home with us! At the time, I was just excited that it had all worked out – but now, as I look back over the past two years at God’s timeliness, I see that as we were faithful to God in moving to Montana, He has been faithful to us. Lucy took her first steps while we were home visiting my husband’s parents. My mom flew in the night before I was dismissed from the hospital with our second daughter. He’s even provided “adopted grandparents” for our girls here in Helena and opportunities for time away with just my husband. All these blessings are teaching me that if I trust God with the big picture of my life, He promises to work out the details. My concerns over what He asks of us are creatively already taken care of by Him.

Lord, help me to always remember that You will not call me where you will not carry me. Thank you for blessing me and my family with rich relationships both near and far.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

HSBC Coffeebreak

We wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of the wonderful new features of the Coffeebreak Devotional! When you receive your weekly devotional, click on the words HSBC Coffeebreak and you will immediately be taken to our official blog page.

From here, you will notice many wonderful features. One, you can click on the header and go to the website for Hannaford Street Bible Church. Along the right hand side, you can also quickly link yourself to the church's women's minstry page and other fun events happening at the church.

On our offical blog page, you will also be able to locate past devotionals. While they are not all on there yet, several are available to you. You can find them by author name or date of original post. Feel free to use these as a source of encouragement for friends and family...should someone (maybe even you) be in a challenging time, pass along a devotional to them!

Also, please note on the blog page that you are able to post a "comment." If a devotional has really touched you, please feel free to do so.

We pray that our new format is user-friendly and helpful to you! Thank you for being a part of this meaningful ministry.

HSBC Coffeebreak

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

If my sweetheart of a husband wrote me letter, I would read it and reread it and tuck the contents away in my heart, where I could recall it at will. How much more should I read and reread God’s love letter to me and hide His words in my heart where I can recall them when needed?

What a wonderful, loving and merciful God we serve! He looked down from His lofty home in heaven and had compassion on us who were lost in our sin and without hope or remedy. Because God is love, He provided salvation for us from the foundation of the world, through the life, death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

He not only provided salvation and a savior, but He wrote a love letter to us through His prophets! By getting familiar with the words He has written, we are taught how to live and love in this world. And, more importantly, by abiding in His Word (Love Letter), we can have the privilege of knowing this wonderful and powerful God intimately. His Son has opened the door for direct worship to the Father when we pray in His Name!

Written by
Estella Schmidt

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Sometimes I think I am a farmer at heart. Everywhere I have lived I find myself wanting to grow things. Generally my plants flourish with little effort. When we moved onto acreage in the country with little water and topsoil, I knew that I would have to set aside my passion for gardening until we were better established.

Before long, I was bringing in flowers that had their origin in the first home that my parents bought, and then it was yellow roses from Grandma’s yard, and more flower starts from our last yard. Mom helped me out by bringing a few trees from her yard and other plant starts. Oh, how delighted I was! Now I could be happy.

Morning after morning I discovered that my plants were being eaten, sometimes clear to the ground. Mule deer were the culprit, so I set out to find deer resistant plants. To my surprise, the mule deer that live in my neck of the woods eat anything and everything! They would even come during broad daylight when I was outside and start eating my plants. I threw rocks at them; I blew my gym whistle as loudly as I could to scare them away and they just stared at me. Knowing that more powerful artillery was needed, I purchased a BB gun. Not just any BB gun, but the pump kind that would shoot BBs farther and harder than the average one. I soon found out that hitting deer broadside with a BB hardly fazed them. My next purchase was pellets for this gun; surely that would sting enough to scare them away.

After much frustration and loss of plants, the only solution was to fence in all of our plants. My husband spent quite a bit of time getting all of my plant protection in place. I was so excited that spring and planted many new starts and even a few vegetables in between the flowers. I still didn’t have a full fledged garden, but I was rejoicing over what I had. Now, I could be happy and give thanks.

Lo and behold, my plant protection was not enough. The wild rabbit’s cute, little baby bunnies found ways to get through the fencing and enjoyed my fresh lettuce. Where the bunnies wouldn’t go, the chipmunks did! I hadn’t realized that spinach was a favorite of theirs.

I hated the frustration and the battle of finding ways to keep my plants. When I read I Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I thought how can I give thanks when the animals are winning this battle and eating all the things that bring me pleasure? I was still waiting to have things my way, then I would be joyful and give thanks.

One evening while sitting at our picnic table enjoying a wonderful dinner with my husband, we watched many birds come to feed or bathe in the bird bath; we could see the baby bunny trying to find a new hole to get to the lettuce; behind us the chipmunk was checking out the flower boxes on his way to eat bird seeds that had fallen to the ground; a mule deer in velvet crept in to drink from the bird bath that was only a few feet away, following close behind was a doe. Recalling I Thess. 5:18, I was faced with a choice. Would I choose frustration because I couldn’t control all the circumstances in my yard, or would I see the beauty and wonder in these creations of God’s and choose to rejoice and give thanks?

As I chose to take my eyes off of myself and look to God, then around me, I was filled with awe at the beauty that surrounds me every day, the mountains, green trees, fresh air, singing birds and quiet critters. God had created a dinner ambiance far beyond anything I ever could. It was there for my taking if I would only choose it. I didn’t have to plant it, water it, weed it, or fence it in. God had done all of the work and would continue to sustain it.

When I choose to acknowledge that God is in control and choose to see the work of His hand around me, I can’t help but to rejoice and give thanks. Then I am truly happy.

Lord, life is always best when you are in control. – Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6 NASB

It was Wednesday again. My schedule was packed and the phone wouldn't stop ringing at work. I was worried about my teenager flying alone across the country on her way to a mission trip that started in Miami. I didn't have time for prayer, let alone attending Moms in Touch, my small weekly prayer group.

Somehow I escaped from the office and drove to the church, where I felt impatient and irritated. But I was grimly obedient and began with praise to the Lord and soon, the worry and irritation fell away. I was focused on my Father and His perspective was so much bigger than my own. I began to relax and worship. I asked for His forgiveness on worry and busyness. I thanked Him for His goodness, specifically and with the help of my friends at the table.

I cried and then I laughed as I gave thanks for things that had gone right with my teenagers that week. And I let go and let God have the problems we had and my children. Right at the end, my cell phone rang. It was my traveling daughter's number and she was safe at the next airport. “What a fast answer to prayer!” I said, as I teased Aubrey and my friends. I left refreshed - the only time all week I spent more than five minutes in continuous prayer. I felt refocused on God's plan for the day.

I didn't have time for noontime prayer and I didn't have time to NOT do it.

Please join our Moms in Touch group at Hannaford Street Bible Church, beginning Monday October 15 at noon. We will meet each Monday to pray for our children. Feel free to contact me with any questions or if there's a better time for you.

Written by
Ellen Bush
rebush@bresnan.net

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

Woke up on the floor that morning.

"Where am I?" was my first thought. Then it came back to me. Oh, yes, I am starting the move and my furniture was carted away last night. I walked around the apartment, stepping around piles of books, linens, pictures and memories that had to quickly depart from the furniture before it was moved to the apartment of a student that I had worked with last year. Why am I doing this again...........? Another year, another move....?

I sat down and opened my Bible to Psalm 29:2 -5,10 "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon...The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever."

As I was reading this, I was thinking this must be a Psalm that talks about fearing the Lord and His might, and seeing and recognizing this might in a storm. He is mighty and in control. He is worthy of being feared. Then I read verse eleven,

"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Reading that verse provided hope in the chaos of facing the details of my move for the next few weeks. In the midst of the chaos of a storm, I receive strength & peace. In the midst of the piles of different items needed to be put into boxes, I receive strength & peace. Isn't our God good to provide for what is needed! I'm still in the process of moving, but when things are getting overwhelming, I look for God in the storm, in the chaos. And I see His strength & peace coming my way.

Written by
Theresa Zacher

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
Numbers 27:4 NIV

During my young formidable years, I was surrounded by the women’s liberation movement. I didn’t grow up learning God’s Word and wasn’t able to counter the lies of the culture. I seemed to mix a little of what I heard everywhere and came up with my own belief structure - one that was very confusing and unstable. When I trusted Christ as my Savior, it still took me a few years before I started to grow and learn about God and Truth. Once I began to learn, I was like a sponge. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and life began to make some sense. Some sense.

It is easy to get the idea that women are of no significance. The world tries to tell us that and it can seem as though the Bible sends the same message. Let’s face it, women aren’t even listed in the genealogies. That seems to send the message that they weren’t even worth counting. Rules against slavery were more protective of men. How about when Aaron and his sister Miriam grumbled against Moses’ leadership and it was Miriam whom God struck with leprosy? Even the punishment for infidelity is much more severe towards women.

I was desperate for understanding of the female role. I wondered how to have a voice and at the same time, how to always submit. As I studied the Bible, I would find passages that lent to understanding and others that added to my confusion. Over time I realized that I had to trust God, even in the places that I did not have the understanding that I longed for. I must choose to believe that God is good even when it doesn’t feel like it. One day, while reading in the book of Numbers, I came across a gem that ministered to my heart. Zelophehad only had daughters. As the people were to enter the Promised Land, these women would not inherit any land. In that culture, if you didn’t have land, you didn’t have anything, as that is how you made your living. These daughters were about to get left out, overlooked, and were not to be provided for. If there was any struggle with feelings and how they should respond, it is not recorded. We get the bare facts. The daughters came boldly to those who were in authority. They stated their case. Their closing statement was, “Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

Moses heard these women’s concern and took it before the Lord. This started the whole process of making policies dealing with inheritances that have been useful and practical from that day forward. If these women would have thrown a pity party, they may have been so stuck on themselves that they personally remained without and nothing would have been established for the future benefit of others. I am sure they faced the possibility of rejection by going to the authorities and making such a bold request. But they went anyway. They left their feelings behind, spoke in simple straightforward terms and trusted God for the outcome. Their example of bold confidence while submitting to the authority structure is surely worth following!

Lord, may we find liberty in the midst of your perfect will and never apart from You. Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

The first time I ever sang “Grace Like Rain” (by Todd Agnew) was at our church ladies retreat in the spring of 2004. I’ve never forgotten singing it that day, because the words changed my perspective on God’s grace.

I’m a former English teacher and song lyrics always interest me. The lines of the song I love most are “Hallelujah; Grace like rain falls down on me/ Hallelujah; all my stains are washed away…” I remember being intrigued with the comparison of grace to rain. Grace, something I enjoy, with rain, something I do not. My normal response to being in the rain is to duck my head. I tense up everywhere and try to get out of it as fast as I can, being hit by the fewest raindrops that I can.

As I sang the song, I realized that God doesn’t want me to “run through” His grace like I usually do rain. What if I would begin seeing rain as what it is to creation – refreshing, renewing and cleansing? What if I slowed down in the rain, lifted my face up to the heavens, opened my arms wide and let the rain truly wash over me. I realized that if I would view rain in this way, I would experience God’s grace for what it truly is – refreshing, renewing and cleansing.

Before, I knew that God’s grace forgave me. Now, I see grace as a gift that does so much more. God desires to make me clean and I long to slow down and enjoy the beauty of Him doing so when I ask. Everytime I sing that song, I cannot help but look toward the heavens. I want that rain to hit me square on my face. I want to feel new each time I go to the throne and humbly ask for forgiveness.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me as a sinner and for the awesome gift of grace you have given me through Jesus Christ. Help me to begin to understand the extent of your gift…help me to allow it to wash over my entire life, removing the shame and guilt…may it make me a new creation each time.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

Press the play button to hear the song:

HSBC Coffeebreak

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10: 24-25

When my first husband, Cliff, died in 1983, I was so discouraged and sad. After taking care of him and having been away from the church for approximately two years, I returned to church and was shocked to see that the thriving church I had last worshipped in was all but dead. I visited the church one Sunday and decided to go back once more, since the head pastor had been away and I wanted to at least hear him preach before I gave up on the church.

I was driving to church for the second time reluctantly and complaining to God that nobody would care whether I was there or not. Lo and behold, I heard a still small voice say to me, “Are you going to worship them or Me?” Needless to say, I was so taken aback that I drove to church a changed person. I was happy and ready to get in there and work!

To the best of my ability, I have tried to be in church with a proper attitude or worship. I am so thankful that my Lord loved me enough to correct me in such a personal way. I no longer am concerned if anybody notices whether I am there, for I am there to worship my God – not to be noticed by others.

Written by
Estella Schmidt

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:3-5 NIV

It had been a demanding week and the longing for a reprieve over the weekend seemed to be in vain. It was Sunday evening and we still had a few church responsibilities to take care of before we could focus on preparing for the work week. Trying to make the trip into the church our “reprieve,” we decided to ride our motorcycle to town.

The half hour drive was pleasant and it was relaxing to sit behind my husband on the bike knowing this was something he enjoys. Just a few blocks from our destination, while stopped at an intersection, we were hit from behind by a pickup. The minutes that followed the accident were emotionally charged with a mixture of fear, pain, and a sense of powerlessness and confusion, along with thanksgiving and praise that we and the bike weren't hurt worse than we had been.

I was taken to the hospital by ambulance to check for neck injuries and felt blessed to know that there were no broken bones or fractures. I was told that I was just fine and was free to go. As I walked towards the motorcycle (yes, it was still drivable), I was flooded with mixed emotions again. Fear and the need to conquer fear waged war inside of me, and I understood the old saying about getting right back on the horse that just bucked you off. I chose to fight the fear and decided that I would get back on to go home. The pain from the whiplash made it difficult to put my helmet on, but we managed.

As time passed, the pain from the whiplash subsided and the emotions of that moment lost most of their grip on my heart. Several months later I noticed that I still had a great deal of pain in my neck and that I had started doing full body turns rather than turning my neck. I went to my doctor and learned that even though there were no broken bones, I had a severe sprain and the tissues and ligaments in my neck had been torn and they would take at least a year to heal. In the meantime, I needed to have physical therapy and learn ways to stretch and exercise my neck so that it would heal properly.

As I underwent therapy, I kept thinking that so much of life is like this. So often I think that choosing to press on is the choice that will please God. After all, aren’t we are told in Philippians 3:13-14 “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” While pressing on is good, I learned that I needed to give adequate time and attention to my body before I pressed on or I would be hindered with an unnecessary “limp” for the rest of my life. As that truth sunk in, I began to see other areas in my life where I had chosen to press on before I had properly healed and that I had been running the race of life with some very unnecessary limps.

Stopping my world to deal with unhealed wounds of the heart has been difficult and humiliating, but just like going to the physical therapist and having to stretch my neck in spite of the pain, healing comes and life is better.

Lord, I thank you for being my Great Physician and for being able to heal every wound of mine. Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:13-14

As I was out in my little garden of sweet peas today doing a much needed weeding job, I got to thinking about those pesky weeds. You know, I plant those sweet peas every year and pamper them constantly hoping that they will come up. Weeds are not like that. Not only do they come up uninvited, but they don't seem to need any special treatment to thrive. If I let them, they would quickly outgrow my beautiful little flowers.

The more I ponder this, the more I think how much it reminds me of my own spiritual journey. The weeds are my flesh. Encompassed in this flesh are my sin nature and my past hurts and insecurities. As I am weeding, the weeds always seem to trick me and break off at the base leaving a root there that will all too quickly come back bigger and stronger the next time I try to kill it. Many times I think I have dealt with an issue, only to find out the root is much deeper and harder to get to. I find that as a Christian, I sometimes don't even want to admit to myself what the root is because "Christians" don't feel that way or struggle with this.

The good news is that God knows more about us than we do and He still calls us His beloved! I love that word, beloved! He is the gardener of our hearts. And it gets better - He wants to free us from all the weeds that have taken a good hold of us. Do you have hidden anger or bitterness? God can do a healing work in your life, as He did in mine, and tear that stuff out by the roots so that it will never come back to choke out your beautiful colors again. Hallelujah! He is an AWESOME God!

I will close with a little story I read in Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. A grandfather says to his grandson, "Grandson, there are two wolves living in my heart and they are at war with each other. One is vicious and cruel, the other is wise and kind."

"Grandfather," said the alarmed boy, "which one will win?"

"The one I feed," said the grandfather.

Written by
Joanne Kauzlarich

HSBC Coffeebreak Big News!

Ladies & Coffeebreak Readers!

Good day to you! Instead of receiving a devotional this week, we'd like to
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Upon opening this email, click on the link provided. If that is not possible, copy the link into your browser and hit enter. Either way, you should immediately receive a confirmation window that reads "Email subscription confirmed."

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HSBC Coffeebreak

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight, more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti."
Esther 2:17

Ah. A story that delights the female soul, that a king would desire you above all others in the land and make you his queen. I recently read a novel by Tommy Tenney called Hadassah; One Night with the King. It takes the story of Esther and creates a fascinating look at events surrounding the life of Esther.

Esther is everything females want to be. She is brave. She is beautiful. She is desirable, patient and wise. She is strong in her faith. However, when I read the story in its entirety, I find Esther was also things that weren't desirable. She was orphaned. How sad. No one wants that element in their Cinderella story. She wasn't the king's only lover. Ouch. No female anywhere wants that in her diary. She was forced to keep a secret that endangered her life. Hello, STRESS! While it makes for a good storyline, to live with that kind of stress, would have been horrible. Her faith in God remains evident and ultimately, it is her faith in God that is the reason this story has such a Cinderella, happily ever after element to it. She goes before the king knowing her life could (by the law) be ended in doing so. She puts her faith in God and in Esther 4:16 says, "I will go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." She was strong in her faith. She knew she might die, but she wanted to do the right thing.

I, too, desire to remain strong in my faith, midst less than perfect circumstances in life, so that when I stand before my King, He will find favor in His sight.

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."
Joshua 3:6-7 NIV

Memories... memories of happy times, new places or adventures, accomplishments... we work hard at making and holding onto good memories. We take lots of photographs or video footage; we buy souvenirs; we relive and retell those memories at family gatherings; we want to make sure that we don't forget.

One summer I was attempting to "make memories" with our grandchildren. One of the projects we worked on was making concrete garden stepping stones, where the grandchildren were able to make handprints and footprints in and write their name and date. They expressed how much fun it would be to place their hands and feet in the prints the next time they came to visit and see how much they had grown.

As I was reading the book of Joshua and was reminded of God's miraculous hand in providing for and protecting His people, even to the point of making the waters of the Jordan River stop while the Israelites crossed over, I was encouraged to trust Him more. God told these people to erect a stone monument there so that when future generations, who hadn't been a part of this journey, came by, they would see these stones and ask why they were there or what they meant. God wanted a memento placed there to cause people to relive and retell the story of His goodness because He knew this would be encouraging and cause others to trust Him more, too.

As I pondered this, I was faced with the question, "Do my mementos remind me of worldly things or do they remind me of how great and mighty God is?" Do I possess anything that would cause one of my grandchildren to ask, "Grandma, what does this mean?" giving me the opportunity to tell them about an event in my life where God's hand was very evident. I have been challenged by that question and desire to make a point of saving mementos or building monuments so that when others ask what or why, I can tell them about God's faithfulness and mightiness.

Lord, help me be alert to Your presence and working in my life. This helps me trust You more and as I tell others, they are encouraged to trust You more too. Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning..."
Lamentations 5:15

Wait a minute, wait a minute, now just hold on here. This is supposed to be an uplifting devotional time, isn't it? Who in their right mind uses a verse from Lamentations to start off a ladies devotion? (I never said I was in my right mind!)

My day started with a downer, and basically went downhill from there...and my "scheduled" devotional reading? It was from the book of Lamentations. Oh goody. A book written by Jeremiah about weeping, sadness...lamenting. Did God really want me to read Lamentations today?

As I read (with a less than a cheery attitude about it), I read of hope and of God's goodness, mixed in with lamenting. In chapter three, I read, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." He is divinely compassionate. He is without failure. Ok, that isn't depressing. It's good to know on a day that started off dismal, God loves me and doesn't fail. That felt nourishing.

Reading on, I found "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore I will hope in Him." Certain things in my life may appear hopeless, but I always have security in Him. Verses twenty-five and twenty-six say, "The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." Ok - the word wait isn't my favorite...no matter how you spell it (wait or weight!). I take assurance, however, in knowing God's Word tells me God is good to those who wait and seek. Hearing Jeremiah say in verse fifty-seven, "Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou sadist, 'Fear Not.'" soothed me. I needed to call on the Lord. He is there for me, drawing near to me as I call out to Him.

On those days when sadness feels overwhelming or when losses seem to face me at every turn, I can lament...but not without hope. Psalm 30:11 tells how the Lord helps us turn mourning into dancing. Psalm 31: 24 says, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."

Even reading Lamentations turned out to be just what I needed on a day I was sure reading that book was not what I needed. Thank You, Lord, for knowing and meeting my needs.

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him."
Ecclesiastes 4:9 & 10

Friendship. It is such a blessing. So why the struggles that seem to go with friendships? I recently had lunch with a friend I had years ago. I moved, and while we did keep in contact with each other, our communications were quite limited. I enjoyed catching up, hearing how her children had grown and changed and laughing at shared "menopause moments" we'd both experienced.

We live in such a lavish world, using things and tossing them at the first signs of inconvenience. That shouldn't be how we treat friendships, but I fear at times I can let friendships slide when they begin to take work. Scripture supports friendships and tells us not to forsake them (Proverbs 27:10). John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" [emphasis mine]. I notice that it doesn't use the words, "family members" there, it says friends. Jonathan and David, Ruth and Naomi, and E lijah and Elisha were all biblical friends. Abraham was even called a friend of God! How cool is that?!?!?

The Bible also tells of troubles in friendships. Job's friends scorned him and made him cry. (Job 16:20 & Job 19:19) The apostles abandoned Jesus. (John 16:32, II Timothy 1:15.) True friendship takes work. No friend, aside from Christ, is perfect. It can be uncomfortable, even painful at times, but Proverbs 17:17 tells me, "A friend loves at all times." Is it worth the struggles? Absolutely!

As I drove home after having spent time with my friend, I thanked the Lord for friendship. There is so much to be learned from it. My friend and I are far from the same; we view many things differently. Still, I can be challenged by her, appreciate her unique views, and hope she does the same with me. Thank you Lord, for the gift of friendship. Help me be a good friend to the precious people you've brought into my life.

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21

Priorities. Sometimes we have them right. A lot of times, especially for me, they are a bit out of whack.

I had one hour to finish the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) newsletter. My kids were napping. The project was almost done and ready to email to the church secretary for printing. As I set my glass of water down on the coffee table next to my laptop, it tipped. Water went rushing everywhere.

Panicked, I grabbed the laptop and lifted it off the table and onto the floor. I began mopping up the water, trying to stop it from getting to the printer. Once I took a second to breathe, I began to lift up some of the other items on the coffee table to make sure they were ok. It was then that I noticed my husband's Bible, the one I gave him in college, was soaked.

I realized instantly that had I been reading my Bible more, it may have been more of a priority for me to rescue my husband's Bible before I rescued the laptop. (My husband interjects here with an "It's ok she rescued the laptop!" comment. You might understand where he's coming from!) Even though the cost of replacing a laptop is greater than the cost of replacing a Bible, I had to face the fact that I didn't even give it a thought! I could have grabbed the Bible, tossed it on the couch, and then dove into saving the laptop, but the thought did not cross my mind.

God just gave me a little nudge - a little poke. He wants me to see where my treasure lies. I need to spend more time with Him. I need to make a habit of putting Him first. I am thankful He still let me save my husband's laptop, but I am even more thankful for the simple lesson taught.

Written by
Angie Howell

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Joanna, wife of Cuza....these women were helping to support them out of their own means."
Luke 8:1,3 NIV

I was scheduled to teach women's Sunday school the following week. I had spent several hours preparing my lesson on Joanna...a woman who served Jesus because she was grateful to Him for healing her. I intended to draw out many points from her life, but I was focusing on this main one: If we are aware of, and truly grateful for, the healing that Christ has done in our lives, we will then desire to serve the lost in whatever way we can so that they too can have the powerful healing of Christ in their lives.

This point lingered with me as I went about my day to day life. I wondered how I could apply it in my own life. In what way was Christ asking me to serve the lost? Enter Tony. He moved to Helena to work for my husband's company the Monday before I taught Sunday school. My husband offered to let him stay in our home until he found a place to live. Now, I usually love houseguests, but this particular week was a stressful one for me. I had a lot to do - and extra laundry and food and a man sleeping in our playroom wasn't on my agenda.

On Wednesday, during naptime, I was reviewing my lesson. I went to the refrigerator to get a glass of cold milk - and we were out. My first thought was, "Argh...Tony drank the last of the milk. When is he going to find a place?" I shut the door, grabbed a glass of water and returned to my lesson on Joanna. I read Luke 8:1-3. Again, I pondered what that looked like in my life. What little details could I take care of with a grateful heart so that God could work to heal the lost?

I'm guessing you can see the irony here. God placed a "lost" in my home - and while I was busy preparing a lesson on serving with a grateful heart, while I was busy brainstorming how I could help serve others, I got frustrated that our "lost" houseguest had drank the last of the milk. Instead of being grateful that he could stay in the home of believers, instead of being grateful that we had milk to offer him, instead of recognizing that I was running errands that evening anyway, I chose to focus on me...what I lacked because of what I was giving.

To me, that realization was much bigger than an empty milk carton. I think I often shy away from giving all I have - my time, my possessions, my energy - to bring the Good News to the lost. I focus instead on what I might lack as a result of it. I praise God that He used Joanna to show me how to serve with a grateful heart. I praise God that He brought Tony to our home to help me learn about how that should look in my daily life.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Matthew 28:19 NIV

After the birth of my first child, I began to view the world in a whole new way. Suddenly, I became even more concerned with the state of things - knowing that I would eventually be sending children into it. However, as I kept up with the news, I quickly became aware that there were many problems that needed to be tackled...too many for me to process!

I guess what I am getting at is my frustration with myself for lack of participation in social issues. Our world has many problems (AIDS, poverty, child sex trafficking etc.). Whenever I read about a new problem I want to do something to fix it - now. I find it encouraging that Jesus does care about people in the here and now, as opposed to just where they are going to spend eternity. I think as Christians we sometimes feel suffering is permissible as long as people have been baptized. Of course, I wouldn't say this directly, but I think my actions frequently imply this. And if you think about it, the notion that God does not care about the condition of people in the present does not seem to jive with Jesus' life on earth. Why would Jesus bother to heal all those people if suffering is only a temporary stop on the path to eternal glory? Why would he bother to feed the 5,000?

I think the tension that is chafing me is that life is to be lived somewhere between, "Go into all the world and make disciples" (Matt 28:19), "As you do unto the least of these so you do unto me," (Matt 18:5) and "make it your ambition to live a quiet life and work with your hands," (1 Thessalonians 4:11). What does it look like to do all three at once? How can I balance my world as a mother with my role as a Christian on this earth?

What does it mean to live a world changing life right where I am? Is being the difference for one person enough? How about 5 people? What about just making a difference to my own kid and my husband? How big an impact are we supposed to make? The problem is, there is no textbook answer. However, I think it is a question I will continue to ask myself - constantly. By wrestling with this idea regularly, I keep my spirit in tune with what God does want from me today.

Written by
Angela Haddick

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."
Ruth 1:16

Mother-in-law.

Those three words send chills up the spine. Still, many of us long to be a good mother-in-law. I find myself searching for things that define a good mother-in-law. What does she do? What doesn't she do? What really, bottom line, is the goal of a wise mother-in-law?

Naomi must have been a good one. Ruth apparently thought so. The verse we read about Ruth telling her mother-in-law that she didn't want to leave her... that she would go wherever her mother-in-law went, and would live where she lived, and make Naomi's God, Ruth's God... Wow! It flies in the face of typical views of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships. When I read the first chapter in the book of Ruth and search for what it was that Naomi did that made her so likable, so worthy in Ruth's eyes, I can't help but notice the compassion in verses eight and nine. Naomi herself had just lost a husband and two sons. She had to have been overwhelmed with grief. Still, she reached out and looked out for the best interests of her two daughters-in-law. She said, "'Go, return each to her mother's house; the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.' Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept." Naomi didn't expect any favors from her daughter-in-laws. She, instead, looked to their best interests. She was kind to them, she showed true compassion for them, she thanked them for being good to her sons, and she gave advice that in Naomi's eyes, would have benefited her daughters-in-law the most.

So... what does a good mother-in-law do? God has taught me that she learns to look out for what is best for those that marry into the family. What doesn't she do? Expect favors in return. I suppose that advice could be given to any relationship. Friendships, spouses, relatives... It's an unselfish attitude, one that looks for the best for others and denies self.

My new role of mother-in-law is one I approach with apprehension. I'm scared. I want to do a good job. I want to pattern my new role like the one Naomi offers, and seek the best interests of my new family members. God has my best interests in mind, and wants me to do the same for others..

Even if looking out for others means working hard to change the traditional view of a MOTHER-IN-LAW!

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:20

College was an interesting season in my life, full of new experiences, adventures and ideas. It was exciting, yet it was also difficult as I struggled with what to do with my life and how to live out my faith. Often, it seemed, God was a silent partner in my struggles. I so badly wanted Him to show up visibly in my life to give me direction on decisions I had to make or encouragement in my sometimes very weak faith. During those years, I struggled with wondering if God was really there and, if He was, why was He so silent and invisible? I yearned to have tangible reassurance of His presence and His guiding hand in my life. I often wished I could get a letter in the mail from Him in which He would expound on His love and acceptance of me, and then would give me explicit details concerning what actions I should take for my future.

One summer night, sitting on the steps of the house I was renting as I attended summer school, I again poured out my heart to my God, begging Him for some communication that I could hear and recognize as being conclusively from Him. I remember looking up at the dark, cloudless sky. The breeze was warm and gentle, lifting my hair and playing gently with the nearby leaves. There were bright stars out surrounding a beautiful, full moon. The sky was so clear that I could make out the dark patches on the moon.

Suddenly, a cloud just larger than the moon covered the moon completely. Surprised, I looked around and wondered where the cloud had come from. Seconds ago, the sky had been completely clear. I heard a gentle voice speak to me, saying, "Chris, is the moon still there?" I froze for a moment. The gentle voice nudged my thoughts again, "Chris, is the moon still there?" I whispered, "Of course, it is, Lord." Then His voice reassured me that He was always there, like the moon, even if events, my own doubts, or His quiet obscured my ability to sense His presence. I sat quiet in the realization of the nearness of His presence, no matter if I could tangibly sense it or not.

The memory of that experience has come back to me often throughout my life. My faith in His presence and love for me is exercised when my knowledge of His presence and love for me is not something I can experience in a tangible sense. This reality has comforted and reassured me in uncertain times.

Written by
Chris Bushnell

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Following the birth of my second child, I felt like I dropped off the planet. Functioning seemed all I could manage between meeting the needs of my 19 month old and my newborn. I began feeling guilty that I wasn't serving anywhere. I enjoy serving, but I just had no idea how to fit it in! All I did was sleep, cook, change diapers, nurse, etc. So what did I do? My Type A personality developed a system.

Taking into consideration my available time, I decided that one act of service that I could do was write encouraging notes to people. I enjoy writing and so I determined to write one encouraging card a week. It felt really good to still be contributing something to the kingdom!

I loved looking out for women who needed a card. I prayed about who to send them to -and then, one week, I came up short. I had no one in mind! What was I to do? I prayed and got nothing ... what was going wrong with my system? It was a few weeks before I felt God calling me to write a card ... only this time there were two women on my heart. I remember thinking, "Which one do I send this week, and which one needs to wait until next week?" As I prayed about this, I know God was shaking His head at me ... why couldn't I send two out this week?

In that moment, I had this realization: God didn't need my "system." He doesn't follow a system. God wanted me to simply listen to Him and respond when He needed me – maybe once a week, maybe once a year, maybe a small task, maybe something bigger. I realized that although I thought I had started my system because I missed serving, I now know I started my system out of fear. Fear that if I didn't start serving, He would ask me to do something I couldn't handle right then ... something that would send me over the edge as I adjusted to life with two children.

I think that fear really pained God. He is my Heavenly Father ... He loves me more than anyone – why would I think that He didn't know my situation and wasn't aware of my limitations – He created them! God gently reminded me that I can trust Him with the details of my day to day life and circumstances. If I choose to listen to Him as I go about my daily living, I will hear Him speak to me. He will ask me to serve, but I have to trust that when He does, He will provide the time, the energy, the resources – and that He will never ask me to over commit. He has my life in perfect balance. It is me who struggles to rest in that beautiful balance.

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to always have an ear toward hearing You speak to me each day. Help me learn that You know where I am at in my life at this moment ... and that You will only call me to do what You know I can accomplish in Your power. Help me to be willing to trust that Your power can allow me to serve... as you ask.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
2 Peter 3:18 NASB

Warm sunshine poured through my kitchen window. There sat my plant – healthy, green and outgrowing its pot. I was reminded of the need to transplant this lush creation, so I set about doing that very thing. As I gathered my garden gloves, a bag of soil and a bigger pot, my thoughts drifted beyond the task before me. Not only was I thinking about my plant but also about life. I enjoyed my hearty ivy and could clearly see that in order for it to keep growing, it needed more room-- a bigger pot. I thought about life and the fact that sometimes I, too, need to be transplanted to a situation with more room to grow.

As I carefully tucked dirt around the roots of my plant, I contemplated what this foliage might experience in the days to come. Sure, it may be droopy after being taken out of its familiar pot, but it would adjust. Then it would grow; it would become even bigger and more luscious.

Again, I thought about my life. Leaving the comfortable confines of familiarity is not desirable at times. God, in His infinite wisdom, lovingly transplants me so that I can grow in strength and inner beauty. The process can be a bit disconcerting at times, but the result is definitely worthwhile.

That day, it was as if God spoke to my heart saying, "When you, my child, are removed from your place of comfort and find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings, remember that you are being carefully transplanted to a situation that will enable you to grow." Sensing a warm embrace from my Heavenly Father, I looked upward; He tenderly assured me that He enjoys me, His creation, and that my growth brings Him glory.

Father in Heaven,
I choose to trust Your loving wisdom. May You be glorified through my life as You strengthen me to grow. Amen.

Written by
Jodeen Erickson

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"A merry heart does good like a medicine."
Proverbs 17:22

The evening started off sober. My blind, diabetic grandmother needed some help, and my sister and I decided we'd give my parents a much needed break. We'd go help Grandma this evening. She had some wounds on her legs that needed daily care. She was in her 90's, weak in many ways, but determined not to give up. Diabetes complications made the wound care challenging. We knew Grandma was frail, her skin tore easily, and infections were almost impossible to cure in her condition. We nervously handled the removal of the old bandages from the calf of her leg. We carefully, cautiously cleansed the wounded area, and did our best to keep the new gauze we were to apply, sterile.

Grandma was sitting on a kitchen chair at her table, the place she'd read the Bible (braille) and where she'd sing hymns on her omnichord, the place she often greeted visitors who stopped by... I've seen her in that chair numerous times. She had one leg resting on a stool in front of her. My sister was on one side of her outstretched leg, I was on the other. We began gently wrapping her leg with gauze. We got to a point where we either needed to lift her leg, or she needed to, so we could finish wrapping it.

My sister asked Grandma, if it would be better for us to lift the leg for her (carefully so we didn't tear her skin) or if she wanted to try to lift it herself. Grandma didn't hesitate - she just lifted up her leg on her own strength, quite surprising to both of us.. but in the process, she bonked my sister, who at that point was leaning over Grandmas leg, right in the nose! I couldn't help but chuckle! Grandma was a bit startled for just a second, but then she realized what had just happened. We all started laughing. My ninety year old blind, diabetic Grandma had just kicked my young able bodied sister in the nose! It started as a snicker, then a chuckle, till finally we were all laughing so hard, I thought Grandma might fall off the chair! In that moment, a lot of the tension that previously filled the air disappeared. My sister and I talk about that moment frequently. Such a sober moment turned into a hearty belly laugh in a split second. God is good.

Perhaps I remember this story because it was one of the last hearty laughs I had with my Grandma and sister. Less than a year later, Grandma went to be with the Lord. I'm sure Grandma is sharing many stories and chuckling heartily, filling all of heaven with laughter.

Proverbs 15:15 says, "He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast." Much of life offers sober moments, tentative situations, grueling tasks. It reminds me that God can use a merry heart to lighten a moment that once seemed burdensome. We just need to not be afraid to laugh a little... not take everything so terribly serious.. and go ahead and enjoy a chuckle! Be blessed by a grin and some laughter - God has gifted us with moments to giggle at... don't hold back! Enjoy a "continual feast" of laughter!

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!"
Philippians 2:6-8

I was raised in a Lutheran Church. In the Lutheran Church, we celebrated Lent and Advent. So for a time in my life, during Lent I was trying to get a better understanding of what Jesus had done for me on the cross. I suffered one year, fasted another and one year I wanted a better understanding of the humility that Christ went through when He became man and died a most humiliating death. So I shaved my head.

At first it was strange looking in the mirror, but I got used to it, so no real humility there. Then I went out into society. People always looked at me. I could feel their eyes looking at me. In the grocery store I could hear people talking about me. The worst, though, was at church. Some thought I had cancer, others who talked to me before would not talk with me now and still others, even in my own church, talked about me. I realized at this time how superficial society is.

About two or three weeks after I shaved my head, I was becoming humble, or was it that I was feeling sorry for myself? I started crying and talking to God. This is the moment God revealed to me that He was not looking at the outside, He was interested in the inner being. He showed me that being humble was not degrading myself. Being humble is by giving of myself, when I am willing to serve others as Jesus did when He served me on the cross.

At Easter time I am always reminded of the wonderful blessing it is that God loves me so much! All of me!! He served me through humility on the cross and gave my life worth so I could serve others.

I wish all a blessed Easter!!

Written by
Ruthie Hill

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."
2 Timothy 2:21

Have you ever had one of those days? I seem to have my fair share, but recently I experienced one of the worst. Not a major disaster or life changing event but just a "I don't think I'm going to make it" kind of day.

"Puddles" is the best description of this day. I was supposed to meet with someone in authority to discuss the tension in our relationship and what I needed to do to change it. Today of all days, I needed to do my devotion time. My daughter was crying even before getting out of bed because I told her we needed to study spelling before school, since she and Daddy forgot to do so the night before. (Puddle #1) My son was defiant, lost his temper and yelled at me in frustration. I, of-course, lost my temper and went upstairs slamming doors. I wanted to puddle, but did not yet because I didn't have time - we had to get to school. After prayer and apologies, I dropped them off at school, and thirty minutes later I got a call that I needed to go back because the book fair was closing and we hadn't bought the promised books yet. I'm in sweats, no-makeup, bed head hair - you get the picture. I don't want to go - so much for a devotional. An hour later, I get home and suspect my refrigerator is not working. This was confirmed by the puddle of berry juice and meat blood in the bottom of the freezer. Yuck! (Puddle #2)

While I quickly transfer the food to the garage freezer, I start the soup I promised to bring to that meeting I'm now really not looking forward to. I also needed to shower, so I put the soup on low and ran upstairs for a quick rinse. As often happens, my shower time became my time with God. I was stewing over what might be said at the meeting, how I was to respond, why such a difficult day, you get the picture. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening for God's answers, I just wanted for Him to hear me. By the time I got done with my whining and the last puddle drained out of the shower, my soup had boiled over, WAY over, and now a puddle of tomato soup sat inside my stove top. (#3) I was on the verge of tears, but it was time to go and I didn't want to be late, so I salvaged what soup I could and packed up to go. The meeting was even more painful than expected and resulted in further puddles. (#4, 5, and 6) I was more emotional than my norm but I attributed it to the events of the last 3 hours. However, I needed to hear the words said. I needed to hear them with a softened heart and realize my mistakes without being defensive.

In hindsight, I believe God used the events and "puddles" of the morning to get my pride out of the way and soften my heart. I learned some things I needed to do in consideration of others that without this meeting, I would have never recognized on my own. So I guess the day was in a sense "life-changing."

Isaiah 64:8 says, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand." Having thrown a few pots I understand that it is impossible to work with hard clay but that is how it always starts out. You knead it, beat it, and massage it, until it is moldable. Then you put it on the wheel and you add lots of water to soften it until it is shapeable and you carefully put both hands around it to gently shape and mold it. Sometimes you have to take a tool and scrape off unwanted clay. As it becomes more the shape you desire, it also becomes increasingly important to keep it centered or it will collapse and you have to start all over. Always there is a puddle of water in the wheel well to keep it soft.

As God shapes me into the perfect servant vessel, sometimes He holds me carefully in His gentle hands, but sometimes He uses less than gentle circumstances to soften and prepare me for the next step. May I become a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Written by
Lanie White

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39

My back aches and my nerves are on edge. I've been holding my baby daughter for hours. It's been 10 weeks now and I am actually closer to sleeping in her crib than she is! The time has come to teach her that sleeping in her own bed IS a good thing...for all of us! (My husband shouts "Amen!" here!)

Later on, listening to my daughter cry in her crib, my impulse is to lift her from this struggle. I wonder if she knows how much I love her. I desperately want her to know that I love her more than she'll ever understand and that I must allow her this struggle for the long-term benefits she'll reap. I know this because my "grown-up" mind comprehends the world she does live in but has absolutely no clue about. Sitting on the couch, hearing her cries intensify, the Lord takes his hammer and smacks me between the eyes. I realize that I am but His helpless child. The struggles He sees and allows me to endure are for my benefit. He understands my world through a wisdom, I, as his "baby" cannot. I see that my daughter and I are the same...struggling and sometimes crying out, not understanding why we are being forced to be uncomfortable.

As I stand looking down on my precious sleeping baby girl, my Father is looking down on me, communicating how much He loves me, even though He allows me to struggle. He alone knows a kingdom I do not comprehend and He alone knows what is best for me. I find comfort knowing the love I feel for my daughter is but a drop to the immense love my Father has poured out for me. I can conquer anything with a love like that!

Written by
Angie Howell

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,"
Ephesians 3:20a NASB

A senior at Bible college...with spring banquet only a couple of months away! Thoughts of a new and beautiful dress motivated me to start saving. You know how it is in college...money is tight and there wasn't a lot of time for extra jobs. I managed to save a few dollars each week. My savings grew as did my excitement.

Then one ordinary night, tragedy struck. The somber news spread throughout the dorm: our classmate's mother had just died. Amidst the tears and quietness, a pool of money was collected to help our classmate get back home. It was my turn. How much could I give? Immediately my dress savings came to mind. But I REALLY wanted a new dress. Should I give it all? Yes, I knew God was asking for all of it. I put my savings into the ball cap being passed around and thought to myself, "It's okay; I'll just wear one of my old dresses."

I didn't think about a new dress again until one day a girl who had been staying with me got asked to banquet by one of the guys at school. She needed a dress and wanted me to go shopping with her. I had been asked to keep an eye on this young girl, hence she had become my shadow in the previous months. Yes, I would go. The day arrived, and she informed me that her aunt would be joining us.

Upon arriving at the mall, my friend's aunt generously stated that I was expected to choose a dress also and that I wasn't allowed to turn the offer down. I hadn't told anyone that I wanted a new dress but wasn't able to purchase one now. How did she know my desire? How could she know? Hardly believing my ears, I drifted toward the dresses I would have previously been able to afford, but this generous woman steered me toward the more expensive ones.

The three of us had a wonderful time, and would you believe it? I ended up with the most beautiful and exquisite dress-- much nicer than I had dreamt of! My friend's aunt said that it was a thank you gift for befriending her niece, but I knew that ultimately it was a gift from the Lord.

That day, God taught me a spiritual truth in a tangible way. I learned that my Heavenly Father's arrangements accomplish significantly more than anything I can ever conjure up on my own. He provided "exceeding abundantly beyond" what I had EVER imagined.

Father in Heaven,
I thank You and praise You for being the caring Provider that You are. Please help me to be in tune with Your voice and to follow Your leading, moment-by-moment. Amen

Written by
Jodeen Erickson

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

I bought seeds yesterday. I know that it is February and snow is falling outside my window, but those seeds were something that I bought with joy. There are beautiful purple morning glories, daisies, bright pansies, orange poppies, and zinnia. The seeds for bright green beans, snap peas, fresh herbs, and juicy tomatoes are there as well. The rainbow of colors is dazzling to my imagination. They represent so much to me. They represent the promise of warmer weather, butterflies, shorts, campfires, and lazy afternoons when the sun's rays are less intense. They are all packaged up in a small envelope with a picture of the future they behold.

I know that summer will come and I want to prepare for it so that I can enjoy it fully. I have planned my vegetable beds, hanging flower pots, perennial garden, and I am even going to attempt acorn squash this year. There are gardening books on my coffee table full of facts and ideas I have never considered before. I can look outside and feel comfort knowing that the cold winds that blow over the brown landscape will eventually make way to new life. What anticipation I have for that day, for it will be a season of new life. What joy!

I had to take a moment to ask myself how I could be so excited about my future garden in the middle of winter. I think it is easy to say that the promise of a brighter future helps me get through the every day boredom of winter. I believe that God wants all of us to find the joy of living for Him to overshadow the difficulties we face in our current season. He has promised us a wonderful future, greater than anything we could even ask for, complete with the creator God himself. I get excited just thinking about it! This excitement encourages me to prepare. If I prepare for that great future on a daily basis, I can get through any season of life that I encounter. Perhaps I will take a risk and step out in faith, like the squash that I am going to attempt in my garden this summer. After all, the gardening book said I could do it! His Word gives me the knowledge I need to have faith and to trust that the small things I do now for the kingdom will reap a harvest in the future season. Even though I face hardships on a daily basis, all I have to do is look to my God to get back that joy. It is all written down in His book. I know that this season shall pass. Preparing for that fabulous tomorrow will give me all of the joy I require.

Written by
Lisa Waterman

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10

Apparently this is a challenge for me because God seems to bring it to my attention on a regular basis. On a recent flight home, my plane was delayed and so I had time to kill in the airport. My plan was to start reading a new book a friend gave me called Knowing God by J.I. Packer. I took a seat along a wall, not for the purpose of helping me focus, but because it gave me the best view of the people.

I love people and I love people-watching. As I looked around, I was struck by the oddity I presented with a book on my lap. Four seats down, an older man was talking on his cell phone. He was a biologist, as well as a professor. Around the corner was a mom with a teenager and two young children who were watching a movie on their computer. Another gal with dread locks was talking loudly on her phone. Then a young 20's something man invaded my space and plugged in his laptop. He sat across from me and began tapping away, while simultaneously making a cell phone call to change his flight to Venice next week. Italy? What does he do that a trip to Italy sounds so routine? Within 5 minutes there were two more college students with computers on their laps, cords running across the seating area and headphones on.

Meanwhile, I've read only a few pages. Packer writes, "Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives. If we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it, the world becomes a strange, mad, painful place and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God." The impact of the contrast to what I was seeing and what I was reading was overwhelming. Even I sat there with a cross around my neck, a study book about knowing God on my lap, a Bible in my bag, a desire to know God more, and yet I found myself completely distracted by the people. People God created, people God loves. How many know God? Do they even realize that they are missing something? What is it they are plugged into?

Our world is so full of distractions, we now carry them with us as laptops, IPODs, cell phones and more; it is difficult to stop and ponder the things of God. We may no longer know what we are missing! Even when I think I am plugged into God, I am easily distracted. Paul writes, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him....I want to know Christ" (Phil 3:7-10).

I want to know Christ.

Written by
Lanie White

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"Pray continually."
1 Thessalonians 5:17

We thought it was so cute when our two year old daughter learned to clasp her hands together and say "pay" (translation: pray). We all clasp our hands together and her father or I say a simple prayer before dinner and as we tuck her into her crib each night. It wasn't long before she began wanting to pray each time she was placed in her high chair...at breakfast, snack time, noon, snack time, and dinner. It became part of our routine.

Recently, we had a really rough morning. The girls and I had errands to run and my four month old chose to cry the entire time we did them. We returned home later than we should've and I had two little girls who were well past their naptimes. I settled in my infant and then hurriedly lifted my toddler into her high chair. As I placed her lunch tray down, she said, "pay." In my stress, I said to her, "Honey, we don't need to pray right now, right now we need for you to eat." I continued to prod her on and finally was able to carry her up into her crib. As I closed the blinds, she again said to me, "pay" and clasped her hands together. Thinking this was being used as a stalling tactic, I again said to her, "Honey, it's nigh-nigh time. I love you!" and closed her door.

As soon as I closed her door, the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 came into my mind. What had I just taught my daughter? That sleep and food are more important than prayer? That when we get busy or stressed, it's okay to put God on the backburner? I was mortified. What I can learn from my child... no wonder Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).

On that stressful day, when my toddler woke, I cuddled with her in the rocking chair and prayed with her. In my prayer, I asked God to forgive mommy for letting her busyness get in the way of talking with God. I also thanked him for using my daughter to teach me a valuable lesson about faithfulness.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
Hebrews 10:22 NIV

The theme for the women's retreat was "A Heart of Service." One of the sessions dealt with recalling someone who has impacted our life for Christ. The purpose of this exercise was to encourage us in doing good deeds and to remind us of the value of serving others.

As I reflected upon this, I thought of the young woman who had taught me what God had to say about sin - that it is punishable by eternal death in hell. She also shared the Good News, that God loved me so much that while I was still a sinner, Christ died to pay the price for my sins. She was a part of that glorious moment when I acknowledged my sin and separation from God and accepted Jesus as my Savior. This happened years ago, and it has been nearly twenty years since I last saw her. Because she has not been a part of my growth, nor been able to watch me develop, it might be easy for her to overlook the significance of that work. I decided to write her a note of thanks and listed some of the fruit that resulted from her act of love toward me.

I recalled that my sins were forgiven and I am no longer separated from God. I have the benefits and blessings that come with being His child and the assurance that I will spend my eternity with Him. Our four children know Him as their Lord and Savior and serve Him in various ways. So far we have four grandchildren who are being taught His ways and are being nurtured to trust Jesus. We have lived our faith in front of many unsaved relatives and sometimes have had the opportunity to share our beliefs. A few have made professions of faith.

Working alongside my husband in the benevolence ministry has afforded me the opportunity to do small acts of encouragement for other believers and to be a part of sharing the Gospel and Biblical Truths to live by with countless individuals who seek assistance.

I have shared the Gospel message with numerous women and children and seen the harvest of a few and had the opportunity to help others learn His Truths through various ministries. As I head in women's ministry, I have been focused on equipping leaders to reach and teach others for God's glory.

By touching my life for Christ, this woman has had a hand in touching all of these lives. How many lives.... only God knows, but He definitely receives glory through the work that has been done. I am grateful she shared Christ with me that day. As I attempted to acknowledge the eternal value of her work, so as to encourage her, I found that God had used it to inspire me to become more "Kingdom minded." We may never know the extent to which our courage to share the Gospel can reach! It seems like such a small investment to yield such a large return!

Lord, ignite a passion in me to build your Kingdom! - Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson