Marci's Moments

At Peace or In Pieces? It's a decision I had to make today because I was thinking of all I need to get done before Christmas. It's overwhelming! Have you felt that way recently? I caught myself thinking "If I can only make it past December 15th, I can make it." This is no way to live.

Okay, to be honest, one of the things I was thinking about is rather stupid. This will be the first year we have a "live" Christmas tree. Yes, we live in North Carolina in Christmas tree country but we've had an artificial tree for the past 12 years. Actually, I think there have only been two Christmas' in my life that I know we had a "real or live" tree. My sister was allergic so my mom pulled out our tree year after year and when I got married, I did the same. So I was thinking about going to get this tree the day after Thanksgiving and these thoughts filled my mind. Will there be bugs on it? Will one of my girls be allergic? What if a mouse lives in the tree we pick? I know this is silly but on top of everything else I was facing, I was starting to feel anxious.

In Galatians 5:22 it says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." I know I wasn't walking in the fruit of the Spirit by thinking those types of thoughts. A side note in my Bible reads: Peace: the rest of heart and mind based on the knowledge that all is well between the believer and her heavenly Father, resulting in freedom from the turmoil of anxiety.

What are you anxious about today? Rest in the knowledge that all is well between you and your heavenly Father. I'm choosing to rest in this throughout the holidays.

Marci's Moments

Our God is a good God! I stand amazed at how wonderful He is. He is faithful, holy and sovereign. This morning as I was driving to work, I was meditating on the scripture found in Psalm 103:8 where it says: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.” As I thought about it, I realized that I’m made in the likeness of Christ so I should also be compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. My first thought is that “slow to anger” is probably the hardest thing for me to do but as I think on it more, do I really abound in love? Is love overflowing in my life? My prayer today is that the women of ABF would abound in love as we talk with our friends, meet women in the store, or as we are driving down the road with our kids in the car. Lord, help us to be compassionate and gracious every where we go. Let people see your love as it overflows in every area of our lives.