As we enter springtime, we notice that certain flowers bloom first; usually I see the daffodils and when I was growing up we could occasionally catch the blooming of pink lady slippers in the woods beside our house. We knew then it was “Springtime.” I have always enjoyed the “newness” of a month and a year; making resolutions and envisioning a brand new start. One of the greatest quotes I have ever heard is “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” We can have this perspective every day and live in anticipation and letting the past go. There is some need to remember parts of the past to help us learn and to grow, yet we need to be careful to not let the past negatively impact our today and tomorrow.
        Another great statement I have heard is to “Bloom where you are planted.” Where are you? Do you have a positive attitude about the home you are in, the family you are a part of, the workplace or school you attend daily? We are in charge of our attitude towards where we are. Our thoughts impact our feelings and actions, therefore we need to be intentional about having  our focus in the right place.  If our current situation is less than our ideal, we can make the choice to wait expectantly for a “new place”. In our waiting we need to trust God and seek His help daily, and sometimes minute-to-minute. It’s also possible we are in a great place at this time of our lives and are blooming as He intended. We are letting the fruit of the Holy Spirit flow in and through us as given in Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
    What do you need to Bloom? Soil, fertilizer, sun and water; and how deep are your roots? Colossians 2:7 “Have your roots planted deep in Christ, grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. “  Once we are planted, we need nourishment which will come from time with the Son. As we grow, we also need the fellowship of others, the truth from God’s word and the opportunity to shine.
Our Blooming brings beauty and encouragement to those around us. We do not even know, as flowers do not know, how many people are observing our blooms. Our responsibility is to use the gifts and talents God has given us, blooming where we are, and let Him take care of the rest. Even when you have a challenge where you are, you can embrace the newness of the day and shine. Shine in your attitude, in your care for others, and in your acceptance of your place; which, although it may be tough, is not unknown to God. As Romans 3:38-39 tell us, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Further strength comes from the writer of Hebrews who says: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…. So that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” 
       So, bloom where you are planted and remember to get the nourishment you need. Take note also that flowers do not show their outward bloom all of the time; some of their growing time is invisible to others. Be careful of having too high of expectations of yourself, or feeling like a failure because your blooming is unseen. I have not thought of that before so I will encourage myself to be careful of this for my own life as well as observing how others are “blooming.” Sometimes the growing takes place where others cannot see, and at the right time, God’s time, blooming will appear.
Blessings
Jeri

​What stones do you need rolled away? What do you need resurrected? During this time of Easter with reflection upon Christ and His sacrifice for us, we can be reminded that He overcame persecution and death. The same POWER that raised Him from that grave is in us, if we have asked Him to be Lord of our life. Let’s not be like the children of Israel who often forgot that God had rescued them and saved them with His power before, and yet they would complain and wonder how they would survive. Let us REMEMBER and go forward, knowing that God does not neglect us or forget us.  As Romans 8:38-39 says, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Jesus even tells us in John 14:12 that:  “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”
Let us first identify the stones in our life, whether they are issues with family, schoolmates, coworkers, finances, stress, anxiety or medical concerns. Next, have faith that God is able. He is the overcomer, the all-powerful and our Redeemer. Come to Him, call upon Him and receive His peace. Rely on His strength and His promises. He truly does: ”Work all things out for our good, to those who trust in Him.” Romans 8:28  He looks after us: “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 a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.  God cares for us as Matthew 6 tells us: “Do not be anxious about your life… look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap or gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? …But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow.” The Bible is God’s word, His words, and yes His promises to us. The more I read them the more secure I am in my faith and in the God of Heaven. Take time to read and reflect, and let His truths bring you joy and peace as you wait for the stone to be rolled away.
Blessings,
Jeri

Blessings for Others – As I was reading a devotional recently, it began with this verse, “Praying always, in the Spirit, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Ephesians 6:18.  Written by Andrew Murray, he explains by reminding us that God wants us to pray for others which is an extraordinary responsibility that we are privileged to have. “He has taken us into partnership in His work.” Supplication means to ask God or pray for some need or concern. So how is your prayer life? How much time do you take to pray for others’ needs, ministries, families, direction as well as safety and health? What a great opportunity we have in the lives of those we are closest to, and for some we do not even personally know. You can receive daily, weekly or monthly reminders, emails, and newsletters from many sources that will allow expansion of your prayer life. For me, as I read the struggles that a Christian has in China or of a new believer in India, or how 10% of the world does not have clean water or 1680 groups do not have a Bible in their own language, I realize that my focus on my own concerns sometimes does not compare.
Prayer is not magical yet it is unexplainable, except by believing in God Almighty and the power we have through Him to intercede, or be an advocate, for others. At times I have said to others, I wish I could do more for you, during their struggle or grieving time. Many will respond by acknowledging the importance of those prayers and express their heartfelt thanks for remembering them. God can even transcend time if you are “late” in praying for something. Maybe the surgery already took place or event happened, and you did not pray until afterward; it is still fine to pray and God will still hear this prayer. We can take comfort in this and in the multiplication of our prayers as it comes into the presence of God. Sometimes we feel as though our prayers are hitting the ceiling and are pointless, but as we persevere we see the impact that can still occur. The main thing is to keep praying! Yes, pray for yourself, but increase time spent praying for your family, friends, coworkers, schoolmates, team associates, church staff, missionaries, non-profit ministries and more. Not only will you be asking God to bless them, you will be blessed by being a part of their lives and ministry going forward.
Blessings,
Jeri
 

​What is Community? Community is defined as “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.” Who is your Community?  We think of our families, extended families, friends, school mates, team members, coworkers, church members and community partners. Which group encourages you, lifts you up, speaks positive words to you, prays for you?  We may be around a lot of people, but to become all that God has for you to be, we need to intentionally be around those that know God and acknowledge His power, grace and mercy. We can wander here and there and not put any roots down, hindering this deeper connection to take place. We can isolate ourselves and withdraw from social situations but this also hinders deep connections. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “carry one another’s burdens, in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” James 5:16  tells us to “confess our sins to one another”.  I John 4:7 tells us to continue loving one another” and several verses tell us to pray for each other. God’s plan is that we interact with one another, to encourage and to be held accountable. It is good to be together and to have trusting relationships, and even better if they are centered on God.
Our best decisions come from our thoughts and beliefs, with our feelings going through the filter of our goals and values. A person who gives into their feelings, without being grounded in beliefs, encounters more consequences from making reactive and irrational decisions. Again, be intentional about who you spend time with and what you ”input” into your mind; we are affected by what we hear, even what we hear us telling ourselves.  Many studies have concluded that positive reinforcement plays a big role in what people are able to accomplish.  Even on a small scale, we can all think about a time we were told we did something well, and that encouraged us to make the effort again. We also have many opportunities to speak positive words to others. Make a new goal to encourage someone daily, send a note weekly and even have some responses ready to repeat to yourself when a negative thought comes into your mind. 
Now think again about the groups of people you are around, are there any who do not fit with your new goals? Are there people or groups you need to back out of or stop spending time with?  You may face a hard situation if you are in a group that you cannot get out of at this time. First is to have hope that there will be a day when you are not forced to be around those people who are being negative instead of lifting you up. You may have people who live in your home, or are near at school, a team or at work that you cannot change at this time. God will help you deal with this situation, and will give you strength, patience, perspective and peace. Trust in Him as Philippians 4:6 tells us: “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Blessings,
Jeri

​    The School year has begun! Just those words bring up a lot of thoughts and feelings, right??  Although the days of parenting my children through their school days has ended, I have plenty of memories and continue to work with teens as they navigate through middle school and high school.
   One of my “go to’s” for adolescent information and expertise is Mark Gregston who leads the Heartlight ministry in Texas.  His article on “Helping our Teens make the Grade” gives some good points I would like to share.

1. The Balancing Act –“Our Teens are faced with a balancing act every day. Each day is a performance. But the balancing act gets difficult because as kids become more connected socially, they tend to become disconnected academically.  Parents may tend to overreact.”
2. Finding Connection – “Any encouragement for academic growth should be couched in the arena of relationship. Our teens are already facing a lot of pressure….school…to fit in with other kids..transitioning from childhood to adulthood… defining their identity. Sometimes our encouragement and guidance may sound like just another pressure. We can encourage them to do well, but if they fail we need to be ready to rely on the relationship we’ve built. A relationship built not on scores but on their inherit value.”

   These two points cover many aspects but note that he points out that your relationship with your teen is more important than the grades they receive. Students are pressured to decide what vocation they want to pursue when they haven’t yet figured out who they are and what talents they possess. With the heavy presence of social media, it is quite likely they present a different image in different situations. They want to be noticed and liked, providing them with a sense of value. These adolescent years are the years of transitioning from a child to an adult and how we as parents, and other adults, interact with them is very important. Instead of continually focusing on their grades or sports achievements, they need to hear that they are a friendly, honest, hard-working young person. They may be creative, caring and passionate about animals or challenging themselves in games, yet struggling in a particular class or subject. Many brain cells are going to their changing body and much time and effort is spent processing these changes, fears and anticipations. Our role as trusted adults and parents is to help them navigate through this time, even allowing failures to occur, so that we can be a safe place for them, ensuring them that there is stability through trusted relationships.
    In the U.S., mental health issues in teens have more than doubled in the past few years. Many teens face pressures and situations that are hard to deal with, either personally or through social media and news media. We hear about disasters and violence, inflation and inequality, sickness and diseases more often and distrust of most authorities has become normal. If your teen needs help please seek out a Christian counselor, call the Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255 or get more info from the NIMH (Nat’l Institute of Mental Health).
    Yes encourage them and give them the tools they need to succeed in their school assignments, but through the lens of if/when they “fail” or “don’t meet  expectations”, they know that you are there to help them adjust and go forward. We are a human example of God’s grace and forgiveness, as the 13th chapter of I Corinthians tells us “Love is patient, it is kind, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”
    Pray, pray and pray for wisdom from God as you parent your teen. Spend unstructured time with them. Play games of luck not skill. Throw or kick a ball with no instruction. Watch America’s funniest videos. Find out which type of instruction come easy and which is frustrating for them. Suggest a break when they have studied too long. Give them a “reward” for no reason. And yes take them to Church youth group to hear about God’s truths and have a safe place of belonging.
    Blessings,
    Jeri

Blog # 15 Happy New Year!
January 2022 – the New Year has begun!  I have always been drawn towards “new beginnings”; I find pleasure in saying “It’s March!” or “It’s August!” at the beginning of any new month or year. It reminds me of Hope, of looking forward not backward. One of my favorite quotes is: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” The past is gone and you, each of us, has the opportunity to make new choices and have new plans; this in itself is exciting. What will you choose for your new year? What will you choose for your new day? As a counselor, in my former job, it was a delicate, and sometimes difficult, balance to have a client share about their past and struggles they have faced, but also to talk about the present and their future. Many times we carry a shadow from our past and let that continue to affect us. Satan wants to remind of us times we have failed or others have failed us; this keeps us “bogged down” and slows down our energy and our positive thinking. God says “I know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11  He wants us to “press on towards  the goal, forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead”, as Paul tells us in Philippians 3.
Spending time reflecting is a good thing, however, remember the need to move past the reflecting; confessing sins when needed, and then embrace the forgiveness God gives us and accept His hope. No matter what state you are in, there is hope because we have the one true God that loves us and desires to give us an abundant life.  This doesn’t mean every moment will bring us happiness, but our trust in Him will bring us through even our darkest hours. Take stock of where you are emotionally and spiritually, look forward to where you want to be and plan steps to get there, being open to God’s leading. The little steps of our lives do matter and do add up; He will lead us to paths of righteousness. Remain faithful and confident that God is beside you and indeed He is in you, seek Him as Matthew 6:33 tells us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow.”
So here’s to 2022! May God richly bless you as you walk with Him each new day and month!
Blessings,
Jeri

​Students face a lot of unknowns when they begin a new school year;  the “back-to-school” phrase itself can bring a lot of emotions and thoughts to a student. What will the year look like? What will even the first day look like? Will I have lunch with my friends? Will my former enemy or the bully be in my class? Will I have to see my ex-boyfriend? Will my favorite teacher remember me? Will I have a good seat in class or on the bus? Will I be able to text during the day? Will I know how to get to all my classes? Will my clothes help me fit in? These questions and many more circulate through their minds as they play out different scenarios. Can they be prepared for all of the situations they may be faced with? I believe we can help them by concentrating on a few basic principles.

1. Acceptance – each student needs to know they are accepted. As a youth leader or parent our part is to make sure they feel secure in our love for them. And there is an even greater and deeper love which is the love of God; remind them often of His love which includes acceptance for them. Explain unconditional love so that they know there is nothing they can do to lessen His love. Share scriptures that ensure them of this love, and also Romans 8:35-39 that tells us that NOTHING CAN SEPARATE us from His love. Loving ourselves is also important as we seek to love others. Galatians 5:14 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
2. Perspective – each student has a different set of filters that affect the way they look at the world and the circumstances they are faced with. Being reminded of how perception can cloud their view or misconstrue their view is important. For example, someone could feel mistreated when actually it was a misunderstanding; someone could be expressing a dislike and someone else magnify the dislike and become defensive or go off on a tangent, leading the student to be afraid to express their opinion. Perspective also brings into play negative and positive thoughts as they judge one another or refuse to give others a chance, including their teachers, because someone else had an unpleasant experience. Remind students to give each other a break and allow for a bad day or a misinterpretation, rather than believing all is negative.
3. Generalizing – each student is wired to seek out those with whom they have things in common. If someone else has the same clothes, or has the same interest, then they feel a bond with them. We can often group people together who appear to be alike, without even getting to know them; this may be by appearances, including race, gender, height, weight, color of hair, etc. It may also be by which classes they are taking, who they are sitting with, which bus they ride of if they drive their own car. Remind them that there may be different reasons for each of these things, and that most of their physical appearance was not something they chose on their own. Each person is unique and multi-faceted, meaning they cannot just fit into one category.
4. Character – each student can choose what kind of character they will present. Friendly not Flirty, Welcoming not Bullying, Attentive not Disruptive, Serving not Manipulating, Honesty not cheating. Talk to your student(s) about what it is to be a Christian “little Christ”, and as II Corinthians 5:20 tells us, “We are ambassadors for Christ.” Earlier in II Corinthians, chapter 5, we are challenged to “make it our aim to be pleasing to Him (God)”.  Galatians 5:20 lists what is pleasing; the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faith, gentleness and self-control”.

Whether we are a teacher, leader, parent or student, we can all be reminded of these basic thoughts on striving to have good relationships with others and to handle the trials that come to us on any given day. Realizing that we need help, we pray and ask God to guide us, strengthen us and let His love flow through us. He wants to work in our lives, but lets us make that choice to allow Him to be in control. What choice will you, and I, make today? Psalm 51: “You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within.”
Blessings, Jeri

Trust in the Word not the World - God has given us His word to live by. This is our Playbook. This is our instruction manual: The Holy Bible.
The world says it is all about you. The world says grab all the gusto you can. The world says Just do it.
The WORD says: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15 The things of the world that we are not to love are beliefs, habits and ideas that do not give glory to God. Some of those identified are greed, pride, envying, sexual sin, and not loving others. We can see more from the following verse: “For all that is in the world – the desires of the eyes and pride of life-is not from the Father but is from the world.” I John 2:16.
For those who are not desiring to follow God, their perspective of success is different. Success is seen in how powerful you are, mostly in relation to how much money you have. Most parents instill in their children the need to strive to be at the best college, in order to get the best degree to have the most money and “secure future”. The WORD tells us (Colossians 3:1-3) “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” And later in this chapter, “Let the WORD of Christ dwell in you richly.”
“The world is passing away but the one whoever does the will of God lives forever.” “When people neglect God and look for other things it is in the wrong direction; they find their hearts spiritually empty. Strengthen your personal lives. The best response to temptation is to pray and fill our hearts with God’s WORD.”  In Search of the Lord’s way, searchtv.org July 18, 2021.
Romans 12:2 tells us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” II Corinthians 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Colossians 3:1-3 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” And later in this chapter, “Let the WORD of Christ dwell in you richly.”
We are also told to love those who are in the world, “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love.” I John 4:7-8. And the most familiar verse, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” These verses may seem the opposite of the previous verses on not loving the world, but the difference is in the focus. To “not love the world” means the things of this world that draw our hearts and minds away from the things of God. To “love the world” is meaning the people in the world. We are told many times to love people and God shows us that He loves all people.
Phil 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness and conceit but in humility regard others more important than ourselves.” We are to have the mind of Christ. He humbled himself to become obedient, even death on the cross. Psalm 119:1-2 “Blessed are those who walk in the way of God, who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart.”
​Psalm 119:9 asks “How can a young man be pure? By keeping your WORD.” Each day we choose whether we are trying to please ourselves or please God.  Psalm 119:19 tells us “I am a resident alien on earth” and in I Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and strangers in this world, I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul.” We are to live as temporary residents of this earth, because our home, our resting place, will be in heaven. Strive for an eternal perspective which will help us deal with the troubles of this world. JESUS gives us challenge and encouragement in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Let us remember these words, from our Redeemer,  Jesus who lives in us. We can be an overcomer: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. “
Blessings,
Jeri

​This is Father’s Day weekend – a time that many will praise their earthly fathers, others will be grieving their loss, and some will be unable to find the right Father’s Day card. My thoughts and prayers go with those who grieve over not having their beloved father and those who never had a loving father. My personal story falls in the latter group; I had quite a lot of trouble trying to find a card to say “Happy Father’s Day” without saying how “You were always there for me”, or how ”You taught me so much”. You see my father was not a fan of showing love or saying “I love you”, and he walked out on my family when I was 13 years old. My mother became a single parent and spent the rest of her parenting life trying to keep my older sister, younger brother and I on the right path. My father moved out of town for work and we saw him about once a year; in later years we did reestablish a relationship and made some good memories before he passed away two years ago. Beforehand he had written his children and grandchildren a letter, sharing his advice in how to be a good person and get along in this world. Although his words were full of good truths, as I read them it was difficult because he had not modeled his advice for his own family. On the other hand, there is someone in my life who has been a good role model as a father, and that is my husband; he has the most integrity and consistency of any man I know. My children are blessed to call him Father and I am blessed to have over 40 years with him as my husband. He has been the rock in our family for our four children.
We aren’t a perfect family but we have tried to live with our focus on following the will of our heavenly Father.  He alone is perfect and He has the best plan for our lives. We can trust God no matter what our circumstances are because His character is never changing, always caring, always loves, protects and forgives. The song, “Good, Good Father” is about God’s character, “You are perfect in all of Your ways, it’s who You are, who You are.” Being able to trust in His character allows us to have a sweet and peaceful rest. No matter what we do or think, He continues to give His full love to each of us.
These truths are important to pass on to our children and the children we have the privilege and responsibility to work with. Remind them often of His love for them and that although we can’t always figure out how the messes in our lives will contribute positively to our journey, we can know that “when I can’t trust Your hand, I can trust Your heart”, as another song says. Our students can rely on our heavenly Father even if their earthly father is absent in their lives. They may need to process many negative feelings about their own father, and our role is to help them when needed. We can always point them to God’s character and the truth that He will never forsake them. Acknowledge their grief, and their struggles, yet encourage them with scriptures and your experience in putting your trust in the Father that does not abandon, is always ready to listen, and consistently has their back. II Corinthians 12:9 says:  “My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” We can also use many scriptures in the Psalms to encourage children of all ages, such as Psalm 91: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Blessings,
Jeri

​Graduation – what does Graduation mean? Finishing one journey and beginning another. This week thousands of high school students graduated from their various schools; each one has a unique life. Each represents many experiences, yet the day they graduate they are united as the Class of 2021; they deserve our recognition and our congratulations. Suppose each of us, as these high school graduates are doing, look back at our past 4 years – what can we celebrate, what would we like to forget, what do we want to be remembered for? And as we look ahead for the next 4 years, what do we want to accomplish, where do we want to be, what kind of person do we want to personify?  When we think about a legacy, we sometimes think only about the one we leave when we die, however we leave a legacy wherever we go, as these students have left in the halls of high school.
 Each of us makes many choices every day including what we do with our free time, the type of music we listen to, what we read, the people we choose to communicate with, the words we use and the people we hug. As students get closer to adulthood there is an increased amount of choices they can make: where they live, what job they choose, pursuit of continuing education, who they spend  time with and what kind of character they want to have. One of the best quotes I have ever heard is: “It’s never too late to start doing right.” Another familiar quote is “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” These two quotes recognize the fact that today is most important; yesterday is gone and whatever happened in the past can affect our present but doesn’t have to control our future. Be thankful God has given you another day and ask Him to lead you; then after you ask, listen for His direction, then follow through for He has the best plan for you. As Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
May we all have the excitement of these seniors, the hope for the future, the zeal to work for what we believe in, as if “we can change the world”; recognizing the change the world needs is to follow Jesus.  Let us keep on learning, to “get wisdom”, as instructed in the book of Proverbs. Let us “study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”, as directed in II Timothy 2:15. Learning is a lifelong goal even though we may change our way of learning, our place of learning and our learning focus.
Rejoice with these graduates, reflect on their journey and your own, and refocus where you need to as you make this day, and your legacy, one that honors the Lord.
Blessings,
Jeri