Are You Accessible

How accessible are you? Do you keep your cell phone by your bed at night? Are you constantly making sure its fully charged so you don’t miss a call or email? When it comes to checking texts, do you check once a day, once an hour, or once a minute. How about TikTok, Insta, or Facebook? Do you find yourself constantly refreshing or checking in? For some, being accessible is critically important, while for others, it feels better when you are off the grid. But let’s go back to the original question and ask it a bit differently, how accessible are you to God? Is your “spiritual phone” always on? Do you check in for a time of devotion and then shut it down for the day? Maybe occasionally breathe a prayer when there is an important meeting or at the lunch table. Does God have access to you at any time? Can He speak to you in the middle of a meeting, or when a waiter or waitress needs a word of encouragement? Does He have access to you when someone needs prayer in the moment? Can He stir you in the middle of the night or convict you in the middle of the day? Being accessible is critical to living a powerful Christian life. It’s not so much what happens on Sunday, but more so, what happens Monday through Friday that makes us dynamic Christians. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul challenges Timothy to be “instant in season, and out of season.” In essence, be ready to share the gospel, your story, and your faith in any moment. What will bring energy and life to your walk with God? Being accessible, being available to fulfill His will and purpose in your day.  Turn on your spiritual phone, keep it charged and see what God can do through your life.

The Right Scent

The smell of leaves in the fall. The smell of your favorite coffee brewing. The smell of fresh cookies coming out of the oven or your favorite candle burning. We can all relate to our favorite scent. I remember vividly when the kids were small, Gentry and Risa were on my lap as I read them a story. Periodically, as I was reading, Gentry would lift my hand and sniff my skin. After he had done this a few times, I asked him what he was doing. He said, “smelling you mommy, you smell good.” Of course, as a mom, this made me feel good. I related this moment to our fragrance as it relates to our relationship with God. When our lives are lived to please him, our fragrance matters to Him. Throughout the Bible, scent mattered to God. Some brought Him joy while others made Him recoil. What does the fragrance of your life say to Him? What does it say to the world around you? He loves the scent of love, kindness, and peace. He loves when we speak about Him to others and share the good fragrance of His love to others. He, however, hates the fragrance of gossip, lying and bitterness. What does your scent say to the world around you? Let it be a fragrance that smells like Fall, your favorite cookie or perfume. Let it be a fragrance the world will ask, what is it that I smell? And you can say with confidence, it is the fragrance of a God that loves you more than anything, and you can have that fragrance too.