 By Kadeen Edwards
Isaiah 61 :1-3 says The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor. Jesus' home was in Nazareth and He shares Isaiah 61 with the people in Luke 4:18-19. He repeats the same message from Isaiah 61 telling the people “I am Him that He has anointed to proclaim good news to the poor..” However, it angered the people who were familiar with Jesus and knew him as the son of Mary and Joseph the carpenter. Jesus couldn’t do many miracles in his hometown. In John 4:44 Jesus pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country. I wonder about the places that I’ve become familiar with Jesus. He is here now; have I hindered the things that He can do in my life because I’ve limited Him in what I think He can do? Jesus came and is still coming, but His spirit resides in us. I would hate to miss something He’s doing in my life because I think I know all that I need to know about who He is, and what He can do in my life. We have an unlimited God. I will not limit Him to my idea of who I think He is. It is for our freedom He came and I believe He can do anything.  By Donna Churchill
Jesus loves you……….this is Basic Christianity 101, right? Yet it’s probably the greatest foundational truth that people struggle with. If we really believed this, it would change everything about the way we lived and how we interacted with others. Recently, I was struggling with this truth. I was having a “down” day, a self-pity day and I really couldn’t fathom why Jesus loved me, why He put up with me, why He continually reached out to me with His grace. I knew I was failing in a specific area and was thinking there was really no hope for change. Ever have one of those days? I thought of the Scripture in Genesis 6:5-6 that says, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” This Scripture doesn’t mean that God regretted His creation. It signifies a deep sorrow or pain for the sin and wickedness that man continually chose to live in. This was right before God made the decision to destroy the earth with the flood. I wonder, at times, if God ever regrets that He made me? I know, of course, that He doesn’t. His Word is clear on that. But sometimes I lose my way and don’t see clearly. I know my heart is wicked and my attitude and thoughts can take me in directions I should not go and really don’t want to go. That particular “down” day happened to be a Sunday, so I was at church in the morning and instead of leaving encouraged as I usually do, I allowed myself to continue the downward spiral. I spent the afternoon with my kids and grandkids at our weekly Sunday Family Dinner. That particular Sunday we were having it in the dining room of the complex I live in. We all had access to my apartment to use for bathroom trips and filling up water bottles, etc (as trivial as this is, this particular information is important to the story). Anyway, everyone left about 4pm and I spent the rest of the day in my apartment. As I walked into my bedroom later that night to get ready for bed, I noticed the plant in my bedroom looked a little droopy. I brought it to the sink to water it and I happened to notice something blue in the soil. I dug around and found the Jesus figurine!! Pictured at the top of this blog)! I was quite shocked and a little freaked out because I could not imagine how it got there and more importantly, who had access to my apartment to put it there?? I know only 3 people have keys to my apartment and there was one that might be a possibility, but……. After the initial shock wore off, I decided to just leave that thought and continue to get ready for bed. As I pulled down the blankets on my bed, I found another figurine on my sheet!!! Suddenly, I knew! I knew of only one group of people that would prank me like this – my family, specifically my grandkids! And they all had access to my apartment that afternoon. Since that Sunday, I have found a total of 16 figurines!! I’ve been told by my grandkids that there are still many more to be found and I could possibly die before I find them all!! So, why am I telling you all this? Because as cute as this is and as much as I love my grandkids for doing this (the forethought and effort that went into it, especially when none of them share my faith), the greater truth that I have been consistently reminded of is, yes, Jesus loves me! And the forethought and effort that He puts into consistently reminding me of this every day of my life is staggering! As if Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t enough to convince me, God, in His mercy, moves in my life continually to remind me. In His mercy, he moved upon the hearts of my grandkids to set this in motion for that particular day, just when I needed it! His love has surrounded me these past few weeks and this very foundational truth has lifted my spirits and encompassed me every time I find another figurine in a place I never expected. And isn’t that always where His love is found or discovered by us – in a place we never expected? In a place where we feel such sinfulness in our hearts, thoughts, attitudes and even actions? In a place where we are so consumed with thoughts of ourselves that we are almost blind to anything else? In a place where we know we don’t deserve it, but He gives it anyway. What does the Word say? “For I am sure that neither death nor life, or angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39 “…..so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 I am working on letting that thought and His love go down deep in my spirit. I want to live in a place where I truly believe it, absorb it, allow it to change me and ultimately, change my actions. I am so grateful that He is continually reaching out to me with His love, no matter (or maybe, especially) how unexpected the form it takes!! Believe it - Jesus loves you!  By Mary Spence Recently, at Daybreak, we have been discussing priorities in our lives. Actually, not priorities.... Idols. I have realized that many of the things I give my attention to in my life separate me from God. As soon as I let that thing have more access to me than God does it becomes a problem... Be it people, habits or hobbies. Focusing on that thing distracts me and pulls my attention away from where it should be. I am talking about big things like substances and work and spouses or even fear. But also what seems like small things, like Facebook, TV, and games on my phone. When I log into Facebook for my morning coffee time instead of my bible app... I am distracted again. It might even be good things, not bad. Like books, or texting people. But if it's distracting me from keeping my eyes on God, it needs less of me. It could be worry. I think about my to-do list and all my friends who are struggling. My children and all the pressures on them. My grandchildren who are living in this world we are all living in. And who doesn't worry? It's harmless, right? WRONG! Worry is a symptom of disbelief. When I let God guide me, I find it easier to align my priorities. Turning my family over to God's care has helped me sleep at night. Not because I know we will never have hardship, we have. But because I know He will be beside us as we walk through it. The overwhelming peace I feel in the times of trial and pain is indescribable. The peace and comfort I feel can be hard to understand, even for me. It is often seen as insane by others. But friends, I have seen Him make a way, or change the trajectory of a life on a dime. I have witnessed blessings that exceed belief and healing when medicine said it was impossible. I have felt His presence during profound loss. So, I work on my relationship with Him like it's the most important job I have. It is! My friend Norma says she is His favorite. I can see why, but I'm a very close second. Suddenly, my coffee time is worship time. My day starts with peace. I am reassured of who and "whose" I am! Starting off that way changes the path of my entire day. God desires your time. After all, what relationship can grow and deepen, become stronger without time? It requires commitment to learn more about one another. I want to know His voice. I want to know Him by the way He says my name, like Mary at the tomb. On the morning after he died she went to the tomb with burial spices. When she got there, the tomb was open, and Jesus' body was gone. At first she was afraid, and when He appeared to her she thought He was the gardener. Then He spoke her name. And at that moment, she knew it was her Savior. She recognized her resurrected Lord by the way He said her name. Lord, let that be me! John 20:15-16 NIV [15] He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” [16] Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).  By Peggy Potter Balaun
[37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 I recently moved to Essex and circumstances made it necessary for Gary and I to be married by a justice of the peace on 4/3/2025. While we were preparing to move his bed, Gary needed help from his brother and his pick-up truck. Gary had a typical batchelor pad: messy, but with his own sense of organization. Gary dreaded his brother's criticism! Sadly, I did not understand why Gary asked me to be there and feeling in the way, I tiredly and curtly said "Seriously Gary, why do you want me here?" I went back to our apartment and realized my horrible mistake: Gary wanted me there for moral support as he felt humiliated by his brother's remarks ! Afterwards, I admitted to Gary I was wrong & begged his forgiveness which he graciously gave! We have no closer neighbors than those we love & live with ! Sometimes loving our neighbor, or husband to be, is just being there ! Blessings, Peggie Potter-Balaun |
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