Tag: changes

Barefoot Devotions

A Christmas Miracle

Hannah B.

As I am sitting here reflecting by the tree, I am reminded of a time of my very own Christmas miracle I experienced as a little girl.

Many years ago I was in a church Christmas play but I just didn’t have my lines completely memorized. I don’t remember much about this Christmas play, the part I played, or even the year. This part I am about to tell you, I remember well.

My mom, sister, and I were on our way to the Christmas play but as we reached the top of our long drive way, my dad was parked at the top with his truck. From the back seat, I heard him tell my mom that I didn’t need to see this. Immediately, I knew something was wrong as my dad neared the window of the car. He told me the absolute worst news I ever thought I’d receive. My dog Daisy had been run over and did not survive.

The pain was heart wrenching and I didn’t understand why this had happened. During the complete hysterical meltdown and out of no where, I knew every word to my part of the play. My crying immediately ceased and my mournful cry turned to joyful cry. For a little girl, it was truly a Christmas miracle despite the devastation that was experienced just minutes before.

As life has passed me by, I’ve often wondered if Christmas miracles really happen anymore. This past holiday season, I have witnessed a beautiful Christmas miracle. It started with a chance encounter with one man that changed my life. With my brief encounters with this man, I have learned the true meaning of Christmas and I have learned that Christmas miracles do happen.

This kind hearted man has been living in a tent under a bridge. He is the most genuine and selfless person you will ever meet and when you are in his presence, you can feel his goodness. He volunteers at the local shelter and gives what he can. Our local hotel has given him a place to stay until his housing is official. Although he has experienced a rough time, he has shown me that love, kindness, and giving are free and it doesn’t take much to make a difference.

For the first time in my life, I truly understand the meaning of Christmas. I thank God for placing a stranger in my life as I have witnessed the pureness, sweetness, peace, and joy of the Christmas spirit and the possibility of Christmas miracles.

When the body of Christ works together in unity, amazing God miracles can happen. This my friends, is why it is important to drench every fiber of your being with God’s word so that you may walk in spirit and truth because you never know what miracle you are missing!

Have a Merry Christmas, my beautiful friends!

With all of my love,

Hannah Boyd

Barefoot Devotions

Spiritual Chess: A Struggle Against Principalities

Hannah B.

As people living out our daily lives, our decisions, actions, and attitudes are like pieces in a game of chess.  When we are faced with overwhelming decisions and life changes that seem impossible, hard, or even if our heart is simply not feeling our circumstances,  we have to carefully and strategically decide how we will react.

Just like a game of chess, our moves and motives must be thoughtfully pondered before acting so that we ensure we make the right decision according to God’s will and plan for our life.  Otherwise, we may experience a setback, feel defeated and discouraged.

In life, we have a daily choice to make and that decision is to live by the spirit following in the will of God or by the flesh following in our own will.   When we follow by our own will we are bound for destruction, heartache, and even hurt by our own motives because we thought we knew what would be best for us and our circumstances.

Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

If you have ever been in a situation where you want to react in hate, anger, irrationally, or even feel confused then you have struggled against the rulers of this world.  These forces of evil strive on our reactions and gloat over our fall and shortcomings.  They look for weak moments and slyly creep in our lives attempting to catch us off guard.  We have to remember that the enemy is crafty and cunning and this is why we are warned by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18 to put on the full armor of God.

But, I have good news.  Do you want to know what is?

In Christ, we are free and have won because of His death on the cross so that we may live life abundantly. 

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Although we may feel like pawns in this game of spiritual chess, it is crucial that we take our feelings, emotions, and motives and test them against scripture and God’s promises.  There is no place better to be than in the perfect will of our Sovereign God.   If your situation or emotions trouble you, then it troubles Jesus.   Take them to the LORD and let Him guide you where you need to be.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 “we are told that no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Jesus gives us Life. Love. Joy. Peace. 

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

With Him, we always win.  

It won’t always be easy, it will be hard at times but it will be worth playing the game and allowing God to have His way with your life. 

Pray up, Saints! Just because you have made the decision in your heart to believe in Christ, it doesn’t mean that you are exempt from this game of chess.

You are still in the game. 

Personal Reflection

In what way have you been allowing the enemy to play a role in your life?

How can you continue to draw closer to the LORD in your daily walk?

What is Jesus calling you to do or lay at His feet today?

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I come before you with praise, thanking you for being such a kind, loving, and gracious God to your servant.  Teach me to know your ways and to test the spirits before I react.  Prick my spirit when I am allowing the wrong thoughts, emotions, or motives that go against You and the call You have on my life.  Remove from me anything this is keeping me from knowing you more intimately and keeping me outside of your will.   In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen. 

With all of love & encouragement,

Hannah Boyd

Picture Credit goes to: Photo by sk on Unsplash

Barefoot Devotions, The How To Series

How To Overcome Discouragement & Disappointment

Hannah B.

In our lives, we are bound to walk through trials from circumstances and experience rivals that provoke us and lead to disappointment and discouragement.  If we do not deal with these emotions in a Christ-like manner, then our emotions have the potential to spread deeper into our soul causing more destruction. The story of Hannah is one of my favorite stories in the Bible because through her actions we can see a proper course of action that defeated her problems and her emotions.

1 Samuel 1-8, NIV

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

In this passage, we can see that Hannah lived in a dysfunctional family and was greatly grieved by her barrenness.  Not only was she in a situation that brought on great embarrassment for her husband but Peninnah provoked her until she wept and would not eat.

Although Hannah was greatly loved by her husband, she could not be consoled by him.  When our heart burns with such a relentless longing for something in our lives or we are having to live out circumstances that cause disappointment or great weeping, we do not see anything or anyone except for this one thing we are seeking.  The saddest part is when that we are overcome by our emotions and we miss the plan Jesus has in store for us because our eyes are set elsewhere.  When this happens, we allow the root of bitterness to sink into our heart and grow roots that lead to resentment, hate, and negative attitudes.  As this root begins to grow, we question God’s sovereignty and love for us when we are experiencing trials, relationship problems, and a longing for something that hasn’t been given to us yet.  Emotions are powerful and unless we learn to control them, they will control us.

1 Samuel 10-18, NIV

10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah’s prayer to us demonstrates the necessity of being raw and honest with God about the way we are feeling – the ugly, the bad, and the mad.  She poured everything that was inside of her out before the LORD.  When we take our emotions and thoughts before God, He will show us His view on our problems and how to correctly proceed in our actions.  We see that after Hannah was weeping greatly before the LORD, she left her problems there, resumed her life, and her face was no longer downcast.

We can see the drastic change of Hannah’s attitude due to her praying and the importance of taking everything to God in prayer especially when the first sign of disappointment sets in. By following the steps below we can learn how to handle these situations:

  1. Honestly pray to God and bring your problem before Him.
  2. LEAVE your problems with God. Walk away and live your life for Him.
  3. Know that God is Sovereign and His will for your life is perfect.
  4. Praise and Worship Him through the trials.
  5. Receive encouragement and support from Christ-minded friends and mentors.

 

Hannah eventually receives her son from God who is named Samuel. He was the last judge of Israel and the first priest and prophet to serve during the time of a king.  Samuel’s characteristics were the best examples of what a good judge should be, and he governed the people by God’s word and not by his own will.  He was pivotal in Israel’s history since he was the first to anoint the king and usher in the Davidic line.

We can trust Jesus with the desires and longings of our hearts and all of our hurts and disappointments. God’s timing is perfectly purposeful.

 

Personal Reflection

What do you do when you don’t receive the desire that causes a deep longing within?

How can you learn to take everything to the LORD in prayer?

Do you have a hard time leaving your problems after you have talked to  God about them?

If so, what steps will you take to overcome carrying your burdens yourself?

 

With all my love and encouragement,

Hannah Boyd

Barefoot Devotions

Life Lessons From The Wilderness

Hannah B.

As I was studying the pages of Exodus,  I couldn’t help but read with excitement about the events God was bringing about for the Israelite’s to escape slavery in chapter 14.  You know something amazing is about to happen when God says, “I WILL”.  We can expect something to happen. 

He miraculously delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh – sending them out of Egypt with everything they would need.  The Red Sea was parted for them to cross through on dry land. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud that was in front of them the entire time of their journey and they moved behind them when Pharaoh’s army was getting closer.

Supernatural protection was before them and when they were safe for running into the home stretch – the angel and pillar of cloud moved behind them so they didn’t have to look back. 

A few more pages in, they were grumbling and saying their life would have been better enslaved to the Egyptians; there they sat around pots of meat and ate all they wanted.  The LORD heard their grumbling and He provided every time despite their complaints about God.  They were satisfied for a few days and they would praise the LORD and dance; then grumbling words would flow off of the same tongue they used to praise the LORD, again.

Not only did they just witness some of the greatest miracles of all time, they knew firsthand that God saw the people through each event until it reached its completion.

Please read for the fullness of God’s word:

Exodus Ch. 14 – Crossing the Red Sea

Exodus Ch. 15 – Praising to Grumbling In 20 Seconds

Exodus Ch. 16 – Manna & Quail

Within these chapters, we can pinpoint the downfall of their faith:

1) Disobedience

We are often given tests in life that will determine God’s next steps in our life.  There is always something to learn from our current situation that God wants to use to better our character, to build our relationship with Him, and to grow our faith. Often times we find ourselves unable to move forward in obedience to what the LORD has revealed for us to do. Regardless of our fear and doubt, we must act in our faith.

Exodus 14:19-20 tells us that angels were surrounding the Israelites during this time and clearly indicates that they had protection before, during, and after.  If the Israelites had this kind of protection from God to endure their trials, then He gives us the same protection to endure our tests and trials.

2)  Just In Case – I have Backdoor Faith 

If you look closely at the Israelites you will see several examples of how they would have a plan to provide their needs just in case God’s fell through. They never fully trusted God to provide and they had doubt. They were instructed to only gather how much manna they needed otherwise whatever left over would be ruined by morning.  Instead of fully trusting that God would provide all of their needs, they decided to save food for the next day just in case God did not provide food.  By doing this, they proved they did not fully trust God and their faith was not genuine.

3. They Grumbled 

After crossing the Red Sea, the people praised and feared God.  They worshiped Him with song and dance but a few days later they were grumbling with the same tongue they used to praise God!  Even though they were rescued from slavery,  delivered safely through the Red Sea, and given water and food when they needed it, they still grumbled and kept repeating their cycle over and over.  They didn’t expect God to carry them through the obstacles they faced

This left me asking God,

“Why is it so hard to be obedient without grumbling, especially after witnessing God’s protection and miracles?”

The moment I felt conviction from the Holy Spirit and him say, “Child, you know.  Aren’t you in the wilderness now after witnessing my miracles?”

I fell to my knees, repenting and asking God to forgive me for my grumbling and complaining as I realized what I had done and the way I had reacted out of despair, grief, loneliness, and fleshly desires.

Over a year ago, my family moved to a holler in the middle of nowhere – going nowhere. This was the most amazing miracle our family could have received.  We were given a fresh start on a new journey.  Chains were broken and we were released.  Even to this day, the miracles are still being unveiled and I all I can do is worship the LORD for His goodness to remove us when the time was right.

Answers to the majority of my heartache this year have been coming to light the last week or so.  Once again, I found myself heartbroken over events that happened almost a year ago but God provided an answer that would quickly turn my heartache to praise.  For those reasons,  I thank God that He moved us from our street I held so dearly to my heart, our first house, and our secular friends and lifestyle.  Our family is whole, together, and we are intact.

Although my flesh is lonely and craving the things and people of the past – even though they were bad for me.  If I was there, I probably would have given into the flesh and had “just in case back door faith”.  Swayed by the secular influences that surrounded us living a life according to the flesh.  Instead, my spirit is full, redeemed, and reconciled through Jesus.   I can embrace this place He has placed me and I can do it with a thankful and glad heart.

Thank you, God, for isolating me in this wilderness because this is a holy place, this is where you are.

Sometimes we need to embrace our wilderness because it’s bound to come with a God that says, “I WILL”.  We can choose to live in the wilderness with a thankful heart or with a grumbling heart.  The adversary wants us to think we are alone but in reality, we are enclosed with God’s presence behind us and in front of us.

The wilderness isn’t supposed to be a place of comfort.  It’s a place full of tests, trials, pruning and a time to be obedient to God. 

It’s a holy place you were called to so you can experience the fullness of God.

Fullness in the wilderness

No matter where you are in your wilderness, you are surrounded by the presence of God.  Don’t be so consumed by your flesh that you ignore the wilderness and you miss the point.  Just ask Him to reveal Himself to you and make Himself known to you.  Just a simple prayer like that and He will.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

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Barefoot Devotions

It’s A Soul Fight

Hannah B.

Have you ever wondered why you did something particular as though you were on autopilot?  You have done this every day for the past five years and you do it without thinking about it, without acknowledging it.  But what happens when you intently start thinking about your everyday actions, encounters with others, habits, and thoughts?

This my friends is how you begin to change your mindset! Read up.

You thoughtfully and meticulously think about what you are thinking, how you are feeling, and physical actions you do without thinking about it. Then you analyze what you discover and make a conscious effort to change this behavior pattern.

I have been on a journey edifying my mind, life, and actions.  I simply want to be my best self – in my mind, heart, and spirit.  The LORD has laid it upon my heart to do such things and by His grace, love, and mercy – I will identify the areas that have been pushed under the rug so to speak and we (Jesus & I) will accomplish them according to His purpose and plan.

Sounds easy right? Well, it’s not. Sorry, y’all.

It’s hard.  It’s ugly.  It’s surprising!

Here are a few things I was surprised about: 

  • Every morning I hit the snooze button for 55 minutes until I actually got up.  The LORD opened my eyes to how many minutes I wasted.

My solution: I am going to get an actual alarm clock and set it up on the other side of the room.

  • I always checked my phone after getting out of bed.  It was the first thing I did for a good ten minutes.  All my notifications from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Email were checked and cleared.  But I didn’t accomplish anything of any real importance.

My solution: I’m fighting the flesh to keep my phone out of sight in the morning and turned on silent!

  • FACEBOOK: This app is TERRIBLE.  I spent countless minutes that seem to turn into an hour strolling through the same posts. Why would I do this to myself and the day the LORD has given me?

My solution: I logged out of Facebook and only have access to the Facebook Page manager app for my blog Facebook page.  It’s quite nice.  I actually forgot my Facebook password and had to reset it.  You can laugh, it’s okay.

  • Do you know that I make coffee 95% asleep? It’s okay. I didn’t either but I guess it’s one of those you have done so long, you just do it without having to think about it.

My solution: I’m still trying to figure that one it.

With this extra time, I have been spending so much more time praying and reading the Bible. When the urge to scroll Facebook came on, I read the Bible. It’s truly been an amazing experience!

Here is what I want to share with you:

The flesh wants to disconnect us from our life source but the soul desires to connect to our life source.  We have to say no to our flesh constantly throughout every day.  It’s saying no to social media, to that cookie, to that thought you shouldn’t have, to whatever takes your eyes off of what is good.

It’s a soul fight.

Why do we have to fight the flesh so much? It’s exhausting! My answers:

1. God wants us to choose Him every day. He wants us to desire Him and cultivate the relationship with Him.  He wants us to make choices that point toward Him.  Otherwise, we wouldn’t have free will to make choices we desire to make.

2. The enemy knows that we are weak to the desires of the world and uses the flesh to distract us.

In our choices, especially when the choice points to Jesus, He is with us. He doesn’t leave us. He doesn’t forsake us.  He gives us strength. He gives us everything we need to overcome whatever life throws our way.

When we acknowledge that His ways are better and we decide to pick up our cross and follow Him, He rewards us in our discomfort. I don’t mean that you will be given every desire of your heart but what I mean is that you will be given the needs of your soul. For example, peace, joy when the world tells you to be sad, hope when the world tells you it isn’t going to happen, and faith!

Jesus did the hard part. He just wants us to crucify our fleshy desires and follow Him.

And He still rewards us. He still gives us peace, reassurance, and love through every moment we face.

Start by committing to Him. Pray. Ask. Seek and you will find.

My favorite thing this past week has been praying this simple prayer:

Heavenly Father, Your ways are higher and far better than mine. You know my needs before I do, you know what troubles my heart even when I can not speak the words. I am seeking you and your desire for me and the word you want to give me.”

I will open my Bible to a random page and read what I find.

You might be surprised when you look down on the page.

Keep up the soul fight, y’all!

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

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