Tag: Jesus

Just One Name

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

Hello_My_Name_Is_Sticker_by_trexweb

There are times when words fail me. When heartache cuts deep, when loss is so great, when the longing of my heart surpasses known language, those are times when only one name needs uttered. Jesus. A whisper, a cry, my very breath; only Jesus. There is a place deep within each of us, a need only he can fill. This place we can’t describe or name. Where deep cries out to deep. That need is only met, when we cry, “Jesus”. He turns my way, he looks at me, knowing everything. He knows more than I how I need him. Here, face to face, all is known and all is understood.

There is a moment in one of my favorite movies, Dirty Dancing (yes, I’m using Dirty Dancing in a devotional blog) where Johnny is walking away and Baby cries out to him, “Johnny!” Just that one word; his name. He turns and he looks at her. Their eyes meet and all is known. No words are exchanged. With one glance all is understood.

I think of that when I cry to Jesus. Only magnified one hundred percent because he knows everything. As creator, he knows my very being. My past and my future; all of eternity is in His hands. He knows every desire of my heart because he places those desires within my heart. His sovereignty is unmatched. I am his and he is mine. One word, one name. Jesus. The name of Jesus.

Genesis 16:13, Romans 8:26, Psalm 37:4

Scars

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

hands

It was early morning when my son fell out of bed; our bed where he had slept all night kicking us, but both of us where too tired to move him to his room. I was up with my hot tea writing away when “clunk”; every mother knows that terrible sound. A thud then screaming. I ran right out of my slippers as I dashed to the bedroom and struggled to open the door because the crying little body was right in front of it. I snatched him up and did the full body check once over; no bleeding, no sign of concussion, not that I even know what to look for, and no sign of broken bones. Everything was moving and every body part was working. Immediately, as I sat down and snuggled him in close to my chest he stopped crying, closed his eyes and fell back asleep…hopefully concussion free. As I held him close I started thinking about how the Lord holds us. No matter how badly we’ve fallen, no matter how far the fall, he picks us up and holds us until we calm down and find rest once again. He checks us out, heals any wounds and holds us close. We may develop scars from the fall, but scars tell a story you know. Scars help remind us where we’ve been and how we’ve healed. I have all these funny little scars that remind me of my childhood. One on top of my foot from the time I did a cartwheel in the living room and crashed into the wooden chair. One from a piece of metal stripping on a step in the church at Vacation Bible School (today someone would probably sue the church), even my c-section scar that brought my son into this world. They each tell a story and bring a memory to life. Some scars though aren’t visible. Some have left an imprint on our hearts, etched deep in our minds. They may be painful; terribly, terribly painful scars. Some of so much pain that they are buried deep in an effort to forget they exist. Some right on the surface, fresh, like it may rip open any day. The world tells us time heals all wounds. Christ tells us, I took all your wounds upon myself. He alone is our burden bearer and healer of all scars. He alone can hold us in the dark places after a fall and bring us to his rest. His presence is healing balm, ointment to our minds, salve to our souls. He knows where we’ve been, not as an outsider who watched our journey, no the bible tells us he experienced it. He felt our very pain, our sorrow and the weight of our sin and shame when he hung on the cross for us. His scars, the deepest of all, save us. His scars make us free. His scars give us hope. Our scars hold a memory, his hold our future. His wounds secured our home in heaven where all our scars will be no more.

1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 46:10, 2 Corinthians 1:4

Confidence

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

trailblazer

With God, you can be confident enough to take long strides. You don’t need to tip toe through this journey. However, there are times when He speaks in slow ways so we have to be patient and listen. It is only by dwelling in His presence that we learn to move in His rhythm. His ways are not our ways, neither His thoughts our thoughts so to move with Him we must learn his ways. Something happens when we truly enter into the presence of the Lord; when He washes over us and all else fades away. We are fully known by Him and we begin to glimpse who he is. We won’t fully know the Lord until we see him face to face in glory. Our human bodies will not allow us to even comprehend the fullness of his majesty, yet we can taste and see of his goodness. By sitting at his feet we enter his rest and begin to feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit. In our hearts we hear his voice. In our thoughts, he speaks his ways. For He give us the desires of our hearts. When we walk this trust walk with him, the desires of our hearts align with this will for us so that His ways for us become our heart’s desire. He becomes our heart’s desire. There is a confident trust that grows when God is our desire. A confidence in his strength and his power, for he has already equipped us for this journey. Move boldly along the trail he has blazed for you. He has promised never to leave your side.

Isaiah 55:8, 1 Corinthians 13:12, Psalm 34:8, Luke 10:39, Psalm 37:4

Needy

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

I’ve begun to realize, I may need the Lord more than others. Perhaps I was made weaker and needier. I see people going here and there; doing and living, and their strength seems to surpass my own. Do I have any strength apart from the Lord? I do not know where I would be without God’s intervention in my life but I imagine, most days, it would be a challenge to just get out of bed in the morning. Oh how I need Him! Every hour I need Him. My very breath, every step I take, I need Him. I used to resist this need. I would look at others and assume there must be something wrong with me; as if I should be able to handle more of life’s challenges on my own. Now I see it as a gift, for His power is made perfect in weakness. Every time I try to run ahead of Him or walk in my own strength, I fail miserably. I falter. I fall. His ways are not my ways but He has shown me the path of life. I stand only in the strength of the Lord and oh what a glorious strength it is! He has clothed me in righteousness that I may walk in the light. For it is in God alone that I live and move and have my being. Thanks be to God!

2 Corinthians 12:9, Isaiah 55:8, Psalm 16:11, Acts 17:28

A Messy Life

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

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I’ve been meaning to clean out my purse for about 2 months now. We went to Tampa, Florida for a business trip in January and my purse is still housing boarding passes, parking tags and gum wrappers not to mention my son’s handfuls of spilled Cheerios, a few wayward fruit snacks and the other day I found a whole orange in there! I have to admit that purse is a true reflection of my life right now. We are in the midst of one of the busiest times of the year in our It Works business so couple that with mom-life and toss in a full-time teaching job and you’ve got a life that looks like a messy purse explosion! You see, it’s not just the purse. It’s the laundry all over the couch and the dog hair piling up on the rug…oh, and my goodness those dirty dishes! I am running in all directions but there is a means to an end and a purpose for this phase of chaos. It won’t be like this for long but while I’m in the thick of it, I sure am glad God doesn’t judge our messes. You see even when we’re not cleaned up and looking our best, God still loves us the same. He loves us for who we are, not what we do. There is no measure to his Grace. Ephesians 4:7 tells us that to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. How could one ever put a measure on Christ’s gift? Just as we can not to this, so we are unable to measure his Grace.

About a month ago my husband was on a chat forum and one of the comments made was about Christians being “mindless followers”. This sparked a nerve with my husband so he commented back and asked this man, “What is your belief system? What do you base your life on?” The man replied, “Science. We live according to our own merit.” My husband’s reply was simple, “Wow”, he said. “That must be exhausting”.

I am so thankful we do not live according to our own merit. Who could measure up? Who could stand? I am reminded of these lyrics by Gerrit Gustafson; “Only by grace can we enter. Only by grace can we stand. Not by our human endeavor but by the blood of the lamb.” He doesn’t ask us to be cleaned up, in order and presentable before we come. The beauty of grace is we come just as we are. In the midst of our chaos, in the middle of our mess, He says, “Come”. You see, He works all things according to his purpose. In time, our mess will be cleaned. When we bring our brokenness, our cluttered past, our bags full of crumbs, He lays them out gently and tenderly weaves his perfect plan before us. He carefully wipes away the dirt and mends the worn edges. He lovingly puts everything back in its place. Maybe not where it was before and maybe not where you expected it be but nevertheless in its rightful place. So bring him your mess. He says, “Come”.

Ephesians 4:7, Romans 8:28

Choice

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized
courtesy coachjohnbrewer.com
courtesy coachjohnbrewer.com

The busier life gets, the more difficult it can be to “be still and know”. Even when I take the time to sit and rest in the presence of the Lord, I find my mind still spinning in several other directions and it seems nearly impossible to just rest. This morning I told the Lord I want to run away with Him, just us, no outside distractions, for a week. Then He reminded me how he uses all of this, these blessings that sometimes feel like burdens to teach me, to strengthen me and to reveal himself to me in new and glorious ways each day. Humph!, Ok then God, no chance you’re calling me out of my job and household duties today? Then help me open my eyes to seek your face and my ears to hear your voice above all the other noise that beckons for my attention. These blessings are beautiful but sometimes it feels like they’re piling up into one beautiful mess when I have little time to devote to each one. Remind me that only one thing is needed and help me choose the better portion. Choice. We do have a choice to make in every situation. The enemy would love to tell me I have no choice, I’m just too busy to concentrate on the Lord and I’ll never get my thoughts in order. Satan would love for me to buy the lie that I’m too weak, ill-equipped, or over-extended. He would love for me to believe I’ll never see any fruit from this business, my family or any other area of my life. If I buy in to that first whisper of doubt, that first lie that I says I have no choice, then I open myself to the downward spiral of lies that creep in like termites and quickly begin to rot away the truth. It is vital to know the truth and then choose to let it be your lifeline. The truth is God equipped me for this path before he even called me to it. He is faithful and constant and will never forsake me. God uses all of this for his glory! I choose Him. I choose truth.

Luke 10:42, Philippians 4:8, John 8:32, Ephesians 2:10, Hebrews 13:5

Free Gift

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

giftbox

Christmas was two weeks ago and I am still trying to figure out where to put all the toys my son received. It is amazing how much loot one little person can acquire in 24 hours! What’s even more amazing is that none of it even matters to him. At 22 months of age he is just as content with the gift box as he is the present inside. Yet, even though he was not asking or expecting, he was showered with packages. Our God is like that. He longs to give us all good things. He, who did not spare his own son, freely gives us all things. From his storehouse he desires to pour every good gift of Heaven into our lives. These gifts can not be measured in earthly terms. These are Heavenly treasures. Gifts of more value than any material possession; these gifts of the spirit he yearns to graciously offer us, if we will but ask and accept. He gives in great abundance. God’s intent was never for us to merely “get by” in this life. Christ came to bring abundant life, now and for eternity. Unlike the innocent nature of my son, who willingly accepted each gift bestowed upon him, we are too often driven to strive for these good gifts. In my heart I know I could never earn or deserve the gifts of Grace, however I often find myself striving as if I am trying to. Unlike my son, I know what sin is. I know where I have been. I know who I once was and I know it is only by God’s love and forgiveness that I am set free. The more I come to know the Lord in real, personal and intimate ways the less I find myself striving and the more I learn to accept the gifts he so freely gives. Today I choose to come. I come as a child, in innocence, with my hands open, amazed at a Father who would love so much as to lavish upon one so undeserving. He is only good.

Luke 11:13, James 1:17, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:32, Galatians 5:22-23, John 10:10

One Hat

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

As women we are often called to wear many hats. Wife, Mother, Friend, Co-Worker, Employee, Daughter, Leader, Financial Expert, Taxi Driver and the list goes on. No offense to the men out there but there is something innate in a woman that makes her a multi-tasking ninja. These many roles bring abundant blessings but can also lead to a whirling swirling mind and a weary parched soul. There are moments when all the hats must be packed away and only one thing is needed. In these moments, I choose to come before the Lord and be only his. All the other roles, responsibilities and chatter of the rushed life fade and I am standing before the throne in the presence of the Almighty One. I am simply his baby girl, his chosen child, a daughter of the King. This is the one role I am always favored in; the one hat that always fits just right. It never matters how I come, I am always welcomed fully. When I am still long enough, the Holy Spirit will flood my heart and mind so I can lay my cares at his feet. He does this so tenderly and gently. A wise saintly woman I grew up under in the church used to say, “The Holy Spirit is a gentleman”. He will never force you into the stillness of his presence, but once you come, it is here that you will want to abide. Today, even as I take up my many hats and head into the day, I choose to abide in His presence.

Psalm 46:10

Roadblock

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

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With a new year at hand I have been focused on goals; personal goals and business goals. I desperately want to be debt-free this year. God revealed to me this morning that I have been so focused on the end result that I have neglected to take the necessary steps to get there. In order to achieve any goal we must take action steps to achieve it and clear any road blocks in our path. He showed me an unresolved sin of jealously blocking my path. I have set myself up in comparison to others and feel inferior and unsuccessful when my accomplishments fail to meet theirs. He reminded me that my path, the path He set for me long ago, is completely unique. Comparing myself to others will only hinder the progress of my journey. How can I take forward strides on my path if my eyes are focused on someone else’s? “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” Clearing the stumbling block of sin from our path is the first step to achieving our goal. Not only did God remove this sin of comparing myself to others but I found myself lifting these people up in prayer. I want to see each of us succeed and be blessed by seeking God’s perfect plan. We are all His children and in this business we are all one team. We are all running the race set before us and are subject to the same pitfalls and spiritual attacks. God wants to bless each of us with that which he purposed for us long ago. Only the Holy spirit can reveal these things to us as we stay connected to Him. Today I allow God to clear my roadblock and begin to take the steps to achieve the goal set before me.

James 3:16, Hebrews 12:1, Ephesians 2:10

Burden Bearer

by Terri Sestina, posted in Providence, Uncategorized

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There is nothing like a teething toddler and a long restless night to remind you of your need for a burden bearer. At some point around 2am I was searching frantically for the Tylenol, crashing through the cabinets in the dark without my glasses, looking for something to ease this baby’s pain and help him sleep. Then at 6am I awoke in a panic thinking I had inadvertently given him a tablespoon of the medication rather than a teaspoon. To my relief he was sleeping soundly in his crib and as I checked through the pile of dirty dishes in the sink, was pleased to find a pink stained teaspoon. Alas, his rest was not completely drug induced. Burden Bearer. I placed my weary soul before the Lord and found him once again, constant. As I took a moment to rest in his presence I was reminded that no matter what little mess we find ourselves in, he remains the same. Strong, unchanging, ever-faithful is our God. For those who wait upon him, who hope in him, he renews their strength. They will mount up on wings like eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint. Our God is an ever-present help in times of need. He will never leave us nor forsake us. So run to him. Fall in his arms of grace and let him be your burden bearer. There is no need too great nor too small. He is ready. He is able. He is your burden bearer.
Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 46:1, Deuteronomy 31:8