Wow! Has this year flown by or what? This was a year of family blessings and gatherings and us helping each other learn more about Christ as we navigate life together. Also abundant this year were many crises and unexpected trials.

How about you? Did you have lots of highs and lows too? Do you feel grateful to have made it through 2023? I wonder what you’ve gone through and what highs and lows you experienced, as I consider my own. Through all of it, the Lord was present, persistent and perfect with me. With you too? I hope so.

So… it’s the time of year for “resolutions.” Though I am not a huge fan of them, because they focus on achieving more for ourselves, my thought here, today, is…Why can’t we make this next year all about less of us, less “resolving” and more “allowing God” to help us want what HE wants? And just what is that?

I believe God wants the simple things of us; honesty, humility, praise, obedience and most of all, love for others. So, of course, I need to write a poem to express all this. That’s just how my mind works, lol.

Resolution to My King

To dedicate this year, I take a stand

to now surrender all my dreams and plans

My feet, my hands, my body all are yours

to magnify and glorify you, Lord

So do with as You will, with all of me

and use this servant, Lord, to somehow be

a witness of Your love for everyone

a missioned servant pointing to the Son

Perfection I will never half achieve

though that’s the world’s attempt to sure deceive

Hold calm my heart and guide it Your own way

in everything I ask and do and say

For when I leave this world at Your command

I will not cry for all that I had planned

My soul will crave to know that I have tried

to spread the truth and love for which You died

Dear friends, thank you for following my little blog. It’s encouraging to me that so many want to read truth on here, to combat the lies the enemy is propagating in the world. I love you and pray for you to have a Lord-led, Lord- glorifying and healthy year!

With love from the Father to you,

Tina

copyright 2023 Christina Crute

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7

Church yesterday was so good. Good, because my brothers and sisters in Christ were there. Good, because my 86 year old Dad was there. Good, because God’s servant pastor was there. Good because God was there! He always shows up for our seeking.

Just a quick thought…Pastor said, “You have to go down to go up.” (Phillipians 2)

Its all about how far down we are willing to go for Jesus. How this translated to my heart… I must humble myself. We must lower ourselves to go the higher road. We must desire to humble ourselves, at the expense of ourselves, to be obedient to Jesus’ example.

It dawned on me that we can exalt God from any position, but what if we praise Him by lowering ourselves…

Perhaps the most beautiful praise we can raise is one from a humble position.

We shouldn’t just be looking AT God, but looking UP to Him.

Friends, have a blessed day and start to your week. Thank you, Pastor.

Tina

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

I couldn’t sleep, so I grabbed my Bible, notebook and pen. I get quiet time with God!❤️

How blessed are we to have a copy of God’s Word AND have His Word that He has our backs.
Thinking on this, I jotted down thoughts God gifted me.

All God Allows

God allows as He allows, allots as He alots.

All He allots is all I’ve got. As He allows, I tremble not.

For He alone, my heart adores, no matter what He has in store.

What He allows, my soul shall raise, allot to Him the highest praise.

Copyright@2023 ChristinaCrute

Micah 7:18 says, Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

God’s mercy is given with delight! Don’t you love the picture this verse paints? He is happy to be merciful.

For several weeks, the Lord has allowed a three-word-command to linger in my mind. At various times of day and night, a phrase has come to the forefront of my thought. Over and over and over, I hear Jesus speaking this into my heart. It is a personal command, but I am confused…

I keep hearing, “GIVE THEM MERCY.”

“What am I to do with this, Lord? I asked. “What does it mean?” Then I keep hearing, ” GIVE THEM MERCY.”

My thoughts…”GIVE them mercy.” Am I not giving enough? To whom do I GIVE, Lord?

Give THEM mercy. THEM, who? Everyone? I do try to do that, Lord. Have I not given THEM something I should’ve?

Give them MERCY. I do, Lord. I donate. I try to give my time. I listen to others, though I can do better. Am I not MERCIFUL enough?

The Lord’s reply was to keep that phrase on my heart and in my head all day every day.

Keeping His words in our hearts so they guide our actions…THAT IS the answer, to have mercy ready to be applied to anyone, any time of day, for any opportunity that the Lord sends our way.

We only have a God-appointed number of days to give mercy, mercy like Jesus gave us. I needed his guidance to understand the importance of mercy.

You never know when someone may need your compassion, your friendliness, your financial help, your forgiveness, your listening ear, your guidance, etc.

Mercy comes in many forms, but to me, Mercy says… You matter to me and I am here to love you, no matter what.

Dear Father, Thank you for putting that phrase in my head. You have given me mercy many times over, for my sins. Thank you for loving me despite my human flaws and showing me that I need to do the same for others. We are all flawed but we have a perfect Savior. That doesn’t compute to me but it is a blessed thing! Please help me to be more loving, attentive and supportive of others who need it. I ask this in your beautiful name that I love. Amen

With love from the Father to you, have a beautiful day!

Tina

 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:13-15

Today is a poetry day! One of the most precious topics to “poet” on is children. A little one’s faith in Jesus is so beautiful to see, isn’t it? I love to hear the sweet, innocent voices of children when they sing Jesus songs. It touches me, reminds me of how we all should be, as children, fully trusting and obeying our Father and willing to sing about Him at any moment!

His Small Servants

Don’t discount our small amount. We’re fully filled with Jesus.

Though we’re small, we’re standing tall and know that God still sees us.

He has plans, we understand, and to be used will please us.

Though small we be, His servants be, we know that God can use us.

Dear Father, thank you for another day to praise you! Sometimes I feel inadequate to do so because I am so imperfect, but thank you for loving me and hearing my praise. Please help me to keep my words, actions, motives, thoughts and desires centered on you. I ask this in your beautiful name. Amen.

With love from the Father to you, have a wonderful day! Feel free to belt out a song of praise at any moment. As His children, let’s sing about Him! Jesus loves to hear our hearts coming out in a song:)

Tina

Copyright 2023 Christina Crute

The Lord is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 113: 4-6 NIV

The verses above are some of my favorites because they describe God’s high and holy throned position. He is a holy God, yet, He stoops down to US? Yes, our throned God, who is above all, has to bend down, even to look on heaven and earth. In my mind, I see a loving God who wants a close look, so He bends down and gets involved. That is who He is! God is a hands-on God. His hands are not just holy, but they are actively helpful.

In Psalms 113:7-8, we read, “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needs from the ash heap.” He even gets His hands dirty! He loves the poor and needy and goes to great lengths to help them. We are all poor and needy in ways, but we have a loving God who is willing to come to us, meeting us in our pain, trials and messy circumstances even though we are SO beneath Him. And He does this why?

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 NIV

Our holy God loves us. His Holy hands take ours. What a great God we serve! The whole 41st chapter of Isaiah is about God’s care of Israel, a picture of what He promises to all of us, His loving protection. Isn’t He awesome?!

Spiritual food for thought this week… Do we (Do I) get my hands dirty? Am I willing to do that? Do I “stoop down” or look intently around, to see who needs help? Are my hands only serving me and not others?

Dear Lord,

Your holiness on high is a wonderful thing for us to think on, especially when we think of how far You are willing to go to help us, even holding our hand with your holy one. Please help us to use our hands for reaching however far we need to, to help others, even if our hands get messy. Thank you for sending Your Son, whose hands and body took our punishment. We ask these things in your name, to honor you. Amen

With love from our Father to you, have a great week!

Tina

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:9

Nicknames can be endearing, especially if given to you by someone special. I love when someone “nicknames” me or shares their nickname with me. It makes me feel closer to them. When I share my nickname with someone. it’s usually because they are close family or I consider them a real friend.

The best friend that anyone can have or know is Jesus and He also has more than one name. And…He shares His ‘nicknames’ with us! Those of us who call him a true friend often use one of His other names from time to time. We call Him the Way, the Truth and the Life. We call Him our Rock, Savior and Lord, among other names. All of His names have to do with His love for us, so they are very special.

If you think about it, someone who doesn’t know Jesus would never call him “the Light ” because they don’t use His light. Someone who doesn’t think they need saving, will not call Jesus “Savior. ” He is not called “Lord” by those who do not consider themselves His servants. His names describe His loving actions that we depend on, to navigate our way and God’s will. What a privilege to call God’s Son by so many names, especially our friend!

Here are some questions for our journals or self-reflection:

1. Do we call Jesus by all of His names? Why or why not?

2. Do we accept, appreciate and use all that He offers to us?

3. What names does Jesus call us? (“child” for example”)

4. What actions do we take towards Jesus that He could use as another name for us? Does He call us “Faithful?”

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

The best name that we can be called by our Savior is “Faithful.” It’s not about doing a bunch of things for Jesus, necessarily. It’s about doing whatever small or big things Jesus asks us to do, consistently, willingly, as a lifetime commitment. No matter what we have going on in life, faithful servants continue to do what the Lord desires. What a high bar to shoot for but what a privilege to do so:)

My pastor said it well…

“Jesus measures our success in faithfulness, not productivity.” (Pastor Daniel Palmer)

May the good Lord bless your day and His way with light and peace and love! With the love from the Father to you, have a great Friday!

Christina (aka Tina, Teener, Teener Beener!)