Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Everyone's Different


Everyone's different. God didn't have just one plan that fit with all of the prophets, but he gave a unique plan to each one of them.

God gave each one of them unique gifts and a different way of reaching those they were sent out to reach.

He took Jonah and had him swallowed by the fish to get him to where he needed him to be.

He talked to Moses through a burning bush because that was the best way to reach him.

God knows that each person is different. And he uses the differences between everyone for his good.

It doesn't matter that we're not all the same. It's actually a good thing.

And it doesn't matter that we're not all sharing the gospel in the same way, either. Some people are more vocal about their faith, and some show others their faith in the way that they quietly live it out. The peace that they have in their lives is a testament of their faith in and of itself.

And there are people who are called to be pastors. Writers. Or Christian musicians. There are those who are involved in teaching young people about God. There are those who have a coworker they feel called to minister to.

Everyone is different, and that is a good thing. So, we should embrace the things that make us different and be willing to be used by God always.

No matter what your gifts are. No matter how you feel it is best to live out your faith. Ask God to show you what to do and use your unique gifts for him.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

What are We Running After?



I like to shop for clothes. I like to find designer pieces at a good price, and I dream of getting designer pieces at full price. There are times when I will go through a website and just browse those items that I know that I can't afford. I would love to fill my wardrobe with all new pieces - and I would love to have all of them come from high-end brands.

I watch YouTube videos a lot. I see vlogs from people who have houses that are big and beautiful. Houses that are new and perfect. I see their bathrooms, their kitchens, all of those extras outside such as pools and ponds. All of that seems amazing.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8:36

I could push to gain everything that others have. I could fight hard to earn all of the money that I would need to live an amazing lifestyle. I could attempt to fill my closet with clothing that costs more than it probably should. There is so much that I could fight for, but that is not what is really important.

Would I be willing to give up my soul in order to get those things that I long for? Would it be worth it if I got all that I want but I had to give up my faith? What am I running after, and why am I running after that?

This is not a post about whether or not it is okay for us to become rich while others are poor. This is not a post about envy. This is not a post about giving. I was simply thinking of this truth in writing this: The whole world means nothing in comparison to our faith and our souls.

By Emily Acker, co-author of No Longer Broken

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Comfort From The Psalms


The Psalms are a great place to go for comfort and encouragement. Here are a few great verses from the book.



Hope you are having a great day and a great week!


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

We Just Need To Live - And Rely On God Always


You can't be certain of anything in this life.

But you just have to live.

You don't know what plans God has for you. You don't know where he'll lead you.

But you just have to live.

You need to take his direction. You need to be unafraid.

Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen every day.

But it doesn't help anything to worry or fear.

God doesn't want us to be afraid.

So we just have to live.

We need to put our faith and hope and trust in God and his timing, knowing that his ways are perfect.

He wants the best for us, and he will never fail us.

So, we just need to live.

We need to love God, and we need to live.

There are times when stress will take over our minds and consume us.

When pain will fill us up inside.

But we need to press on. And we need to live.

There are going to be good times in our lives, too. There will be joy and laughter. There is a time and season for everything.

God has blessed us with so much. In this moment, right now, we can look around us and see that. And we should be grateful for all we have.

God will never leave us or abandon us, but he will be with us every moment.

So we need to live.

And we need to rely on him always, as we live.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken