A Baby in a Basket: God Has a Plan for Us.

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Heart of the Matter

 

Nothing that happens in the life of a believer is random. God, in His omniscient godness, has always had a plan for your life. He knew you would come to Him in faith. He knew the struggles you’d face, and the choices you’d make—good and bad. He created you with a purpose that only you can fulfill, and He’s paving the way for you to impact others for the kingdom.

Can I Really Make an Impact?

We never know the little everyday moments God will use to bring a soul closer to Him. Was it providence that made you stop and speak to the homeless man outside the store that day, asking if he knows Jesus and giving him your spare change? How about when you were the keynote speaker and decided to tell a roomful of business leaders about your relationship with the Lord? Do you think God orchestrated that moment in time? No doubt, the orphans in Honduras who will soon receive your hand-sewn blankets will be forever impacted by your loving gift, as will the prisoners with whom you faithfully correspond. Dear young moms: Every tear you wipe, hug you give, and every bedtime prayer, impacts the Kingdom as you model the unconditional love of God in your home.

We’re on assignment for God throughout our lives. Think of the hundreds of people with whom we interact on a weekly basis—our family, our neighbors, our friends, those who work where we shop, eat and play. Humanity is crying out for our love, kindness and help. We need only have eyes to see and the boldness to obey.

A Baby who Became a Prophet

If you’re not convinced that God has a plan for us, let’s look at a certain little baby who was placed in a basket in a river in Egypt. At the time Moses was born, there was a new sheriff in town. This new Pharoah began to think about the Israelites and how numerous they’d become. He feared they would join with his enemies and overtake him. Pharoah decided to place harsh taskmasters over them and use them as forced labor to build his cities and massive structures. But the more the Israelites were ruthlessly oppressed, the more they multiplied.

Pharoah then decided to implement “Plan B”. He told the Hebrew midwives they must kill any male babies born to the Hebrew women. The midwives feared God and did not follow his instructions. They told him the babies were being born before they could arrive (smart gals), and there was nothing they could do. God blessed the midwives for their obedience. The Israelites continued to multiply.

Now, it was time for “Plan C”. Pharoah commanded his people to throw every Hebrew boy into the Nile River.

About this time a baby boy was born to a family of the tribe of Levi. To save her child, his mother placed him in a papyrus basket coated with pitch and placed him in the reeds at the edge of the river. She had her daughter, Miriam, keep watch from a distance.

A God-Ordained Bathtime

What happens next is nothing less than a miracle. You see, God had a BIG plan for this little guy. Pharoah’s daughter would often bathe in the Nile, as was the custom. The Egyptians believed the Nile was a life-giving force that brought them closer to their gods.

As Pharoah’s daughter was bathing, she saw the basket in the reeds and asked her maid to retrieve it. She saw that it was a crying Hebrew baby, and her heart softened towards him. Just then, quick-thinking Miriam appeared from the shadows and asked Pharoah’s daughter if she would like her to go and get a nursing mother from among the Hebrews to nurse the baby. The princess replied, “Yes, go and get someone”.

If you’ve read the story, you know that unbeknownst to the princess, Miriam retrieved her own mother! The princess told her to take the baby and nurse him and that she would be paid to do so. When the baby was weaned, he was brought back to Pharoah’s daughter and he became her son, Egyptian royalty. She named him, Moses, meaning, ‘I drew you out of the water’. Only God could orchestrate such a mind-blowing scenario, don’t you agree?

Moses Faces Pharoah

God had a plan for Moses. He eventually led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt (after God spoke to him from a burning bush) by facing Pharoah, as God’s representative, causing all the plagues to come upon the Egyptians. When Pharoah finally let the people go, he quickly changed his mind and chased after them with his army. Moses then lifted his staff and parted the Red Sea as the people hurried across to safety. The Egyptian army was swallowed up as they rushed into the seabed and water cascaded violently down on them.

It was also Moses who received the Ten Commandments, God’s divine law, from the Lord on Mount Sinai. And he, who led the Israelites towards the Promised Land including 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses died on the plains of Moab, within sight of the Promised Land when he was 120 years old. He was one of God’s greatest prophets. The Bible says, “Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face-to-face, for all the signs and wonders the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharoah…” Deuteronomy 34:10-11 (NASB)

Get With God’s Plan

God had a plan for Moses, and He has a plan for you. You may not be a great leader as Moses was, but God has a purpose for you. Are you unsure of yourself? Moses was, too. He had a speech problem and didn’t think the people would listen to him. God made a way. Let’s open our eyes and see how God has answered prayer, paved the way, changed our direction, and guided our steps. Your life is not a random chain of events. Open your eyes, trust God, and celebrate that little ol’ you (and me) have a part in the eternal plan of the God of the universe.

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10 Suggestions for Spiritually Focused New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 6, 2025 by Heart of the Matter

Well, it’s the new year and time for resolutions. Bummer. You see, I have a very bad record of keeping resolutions. I’ve tried to eat better, exercise more, and generally be more disciplined, only to fall off the wagon within a few weeks. I’ve often wondered what kind of super-human beings can stay on track with their lifestyle changes for more than 6 months. Some of you may be such creatures. You have my utmost respect. For most of us, however, it’s a real challenge.

I’d venture to say most resolutions are diet and exercise related. We may decide to give up sugar, lose weight, join a gym, or drink water instead of soda. Or perhaps we desire a more focused and organized life, so we commit to reduce our phone time, give up social media, reduce clutter in our home, minimize our TV viewing, or read more books.

These ideas are all good. They can help us lead a more healthy and productive life, and in some cases, give us more time for things like prayer and reading the Word. But have you considered incorporating a few distinctly spiritual goals this year?

Here are some suggestions:

  • Spend 20-30 minutes in the Word each day.
  • Read through the entire Bible this year.
  • Attend a Bible study in your community or at your church.
  • Join a local Bible preaching church and get involved.
  • Volunteer once a week or once a month with an organization that helps the less fortunate.
  • Initiate a daily prayer time with your spouse.
  • Mentor someone new to the faith.
  • Post a “Verse of the Month” in your home on which to focus on as a family.
  • Forgive someone you’ve held a grudge against and purpose to forgive all offenses this year—banish unforgiveness from your life.
  • Share the gospel with 5 people.

Join me in focusing on spiritual growth and obedience to the Word of God this year. Grow closer to God with me. Get to know Him through Bible reading, focused Bible study, and prayer. Become engaged in Kingdom work by using your gifts and walking through the doors that God opens for you as you follow his lead. Decide this year to serve, give, and grow.

Of course, the most important thing you can do this year to change your life is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and make Him Lord of your life if you have not done so. It will not only change your today, but it will also forever alter your tomorrow, as you secure a place in the family of God for eternity.

As we consider our New Year’s resolutions, we must always remember that the condition of our inner selves is exceedingly more important than the way we look on the outside. Let’s place our focus inward this year and come alive in 2025!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5: 17 (ESV)

“But that is not the way you learned Christ—assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  Ephesians 4: 20-24 (ESV)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (ESV)

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Enjoying Christmas When the Kids are Grown

Posted on December 25, 2024 by Heart of the Matter

 

Christmas is a little different these days. No struggle to get the kids to bed so we can assemble toys and fill stockings. No busy schedule full of concerts, recitals and school programs. Our kids are grown with families of their own and the responsibility of seeing they have a full and happy Christmas is no longer ours.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, I was home alone. My husband was at work and the two kids who were in town, were spending Christmas Eve with their in-laws. Lest you start to feel bad for me, I enjoyed my day just about as much as the actual “Home Alone” kid did once he realized all the benefits it afforded! Time alone is severely under-rated.

The house was so quiet. I lit a few of my Christmas candles, flipped on the Christmas tree lights and took out my Bible. I began to read and meditate on the accounts of Jesus’s birth in Matthew and Luke. Many of us have a tradition of reading the Christmas story during the season—perhaps as we gather around the tree as a family— but we don’t often read it alone, in a spirit of prayerful meditation. That time in the Word was a blessing.

As I read the birth account, numerous references from the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah and Hosea, stood out to me. These Old Testament books, written thousands of years earlier, foretold and foreshadowed the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.

Friends, we are a part of a centuries-old narrative orchestrated by the God of the universe. The God who created us and then saw us fall to sin and death by attempting to go our own way. The God who provided a way for our redemption and forgiveness by sacrificing His only Son to an agonizing death on the cross. The God who loves you and I that much.

Through His son, Jesus Christ, we can have hope, peace, joy, and help in this world, and can live an eternity with God in a paradise we can only imagine. I hope you will take hold of that greatest gift of all this Christmas and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Here is a resource on how to do that:  https://bethblamickwrites.com/how-to-become-a-christian/  or ask your local pastor or a Christian friend.

Today, Christmas Day, I will have 2 of my 3 birdies back in the nest (with their wonderful spouses) for a day of feasting, exchanging gifts, playing games, engaging in conversation, and of course, reading the Christmas story and reflecting on the year’s blessings. We’ll miss my oldest son and daughter-in-law who just had our 5th grandchild in another state and needed to stay put.

Even though Christmas looks different as we age, there is still so much joy and meaning to the season if you only look closely. Enjoy the moments you have with your spouse and with those grown kids when they do find their way home. Always keep the porch light on and your arms ready with a loving, welcoming hug. Find some time this year to meditate on the story of the birth of Jesus. After all, that is truly what Christmas is all about.

 

Posted in Christian Holidays, Holidays, Marriage, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, Thankfulness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raising a Daughter Who Shines: 6 Tips for Parents of Girls

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Heart of the Matter

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly— and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For a doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6 (CSB)

Breaking news! More grandbabies are on the way—both of them precious little girls. My middle son and his wife just carried out a Zoom gender reveal for the family. They’re having their first baby, and my oldest son is having his fifth. These are exciting times for this devoted grandma. After these two littles make their entrance into the world, we’ll have one grandson and five granddaughters! Given the fact that girls are coming like a swarm of lovebugs in the Florida springtime, I thought I’d share six tips for raising godly girls who shine.

  • Pray for your daughter—every day. Pray for her protection and for her heart to remain pure. Pray for her future husband, that he would be a man who loves Jesus and exhibits a bold walk of faith. It’s never too early to begin praying for that. Above all, pray that your daughter would come to know the Lord as her personal Savior.
  • Show her unconditional love and support—always. Try not to be overly critical of her performance or appearance. There are many grown women today who have emotional issues and lack of confidence due to hyper-critical parents. Accept her for who she is. Many a mom has tried to live vicariously through her daughter. Moms, this is her time to shine, not a “do-over” for you.
  • Teach her that God has a purpose for her life. Help her to understand that God loves her and has a unique and important plan for her to fulfill. Read the Bible to her and take her to church. Encourage her to fully participate in the children’s and youth activities there. Be an example by fully participating in church yourself.
  • Instill in her the importance of having Christian friends around her. Help her to develop a core group of friends whose parents are believers and desire to follow Jesus. On the other side of the coin, teach her to be loving and inclusive to all people in her circle of influence. Talk about this often. Remind her to be kind and respectful even to those who may be different than her. Teach her to be a friend to all. Don’t raise a mean girl.

 “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Proverbs 13:20 (CSB)

  • Focus on the importance of modesty from an early age. That means, be the parent. As she moves into her adolescent years, don’t allow her to leave the house in skimpy, inappropriate apparel, mimicking secular culture. Help her learn to make good choices. Assist your daughter in finding her confidence in the Lord so that she won’t look for it in her appearance, her sexuality, her popularity, or even her achievements.
  • Treat your daughter with respect. Take the time to listen to her. Give her a voice in your family. Insist that siblings, especially brothers, treat her with respect, as well. Daughters need to know that they are important and valued.

I was the only daughter between two boys growing up. My parents were believers and took us to church where all three of us came to know the Lord. I am so grateful. However, my own parents were old school and not especially intentional in some of the areas I’ve mentioned. When I had my own daughter, I purposed to do so. She is a wife now and a kind, confident, Jesus follower. She has many friends, some of whom come to her for advice and counsel. She understands that her beauty comes from a heart devoted to the Lord. I’m so proud of her.

Your daughter will eventually make her own decisions—not all of them wise. You cannot completely protect her from the world or from herself. You can, however, pray for wisdom as you raise her—from the God of all knowledge and wisdom. You can be intentional and consistent in your methods. You can speak up about things that are important. You can be an example of all the traits you’d like to see in her. And you can love her with unconditional, abundant, unwavering love. Don’t waste a minute. Before you know it, you’ll be watching her walk down the aisle, a kind and confident Jesus follower, on the arm of her Prince Charming.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. . .” Psalm 127:3-5 (ESV)

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Shattered Treasures, Open Hands

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Heart of the Matter

 

A loud –crash– echoed from the other room, interrupting my kitchen duties that morning. Seconds before, I’d been enjoying the raucous laughter of two of my kids as they bounded down the stairs, one in pursuit of the other. Now—there was dead silence—no crying, not even the sound of fleeing footsteps. I had to assume there were no injuries.

As I rounded the corner, there lay my antique double-globed lamp in shattered pieces on the hardwood floor (and two frightened children standing in stunned silence). Of course, I wanted to yell and scream—actually, I wanted to cry. Instead, I calmly told my kids to back up onto the stairs while I got the broom. I cleaned up the broken pieces of my beloved lamp—yet another casualty of a home full of little kids—and proceeded to have a serious follow-up talk with them.

Many items have been broken in our home over the years: lamps, glasses, plates, nativity figurines, one particularly special porcelain angel band, and other items. Usually, from kids being kids and getting a little too rambunctious inside the house or dropping things from little hands. It was upsetting, of course, but in the early years of childrearing, I determined to teach my kids that people are more important than things. I didn’t yell when things were accidentally broken and if I cried a little (which I must admit, happened sometimes), it didn’t last long.

I wanted my kids to know that the “stuff” we have here on earth isn’t going with us to heaven when we die so we shouldn’t hold on too tightly. If I were to be an example of that, I needed to be reasonable and understanding when they broke things. Of course, if rules were broken, that was addressed, and calm discipline rendered.

Jesus spoke to this issue in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6. He told the disciples that the things they valued betrayed what their hearts loved. He told them they were to love and treasure God above all else—that they couldn’t serve two masters, God and material wealth. The same goes for us. Jesus said:

“Don’t 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 neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (CSB)

This scripture came to mind recently after my newlywed daughter sent a cryptic text saying, “Thank you”. She followed up with a call saying her sweet husband had tossed a pillow from one couch to the other and knocked over a favorite, brand-new lamp. It was irreparably shattered. She wanted me to know she was so glad I taught her not to be upset when items are accidentally broken and taught her to value people over things. My daughter’s been married 2 years and is already learning to “roll with the punches” (and the pillows). “Just wait until you have children,” I told her. “The bestlessons are yet to come.”

If you’re like me, you love to decorate your home with pretty things and feel like they help make your house a home. Never forget, however, that it’s the people inside and the spirit of love and hospitality that make people feel at home. And children’s hearts are precious and fragile. Stuff is just stuff, it’s here and then it’s gone. Remember, your children are always watching and learning what it is that you treasure. Be a good example of holding the material things of this world with an open hand. It’s a beautiful—and biblical—thing to do.

“He then told them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15 (CSB)

Posted in Christianity, Grandparenting, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, spiritual growth | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment