In this week’s Martha Monday video, Laura shared her recipe for Poppyseed Chicken. This dish has been a family favorite for many years … and if you try it, she’s convinced it will be one of YOUR family’s favorites, too!
Download a copy of the recipe here.
Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month
each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household…Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month,
when all the members of the community of Israel
must slaughter them at twilight.
Then they are to take some of the blood
and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses
where they eat the lambs…On that same night I will pass through Egypt
and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals,
and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.
I am the LORD.
The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are,
and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.
No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
Exodus 12:3, 6-7, 12-13
The book of Exodus chronicles the story of God freeing His people from bondage in Egypt. But it’s a narrative that tells a larger story—one that resonates for all of us, for all time.
Egypt represents sin and bondage. We are all held captive by our own sin … all in “Egypt” in one way or another: pride, selfishness, anger, lust, greed, idolatry, adultery, gossip, hatred, lying, stealing, cheating, gluttony, ad infinitum. The list is endless, and no amount of striving, working, getting up early, staying up late, reading a new book, or finding the right therapist can release us from the grip of sin.
Sin owns us. But God wants to free us.
Freedom for the Israelites came on Passover night. Exodus 12 instructed each family to take a lamb, then to take care of it. They were to bring it into their home. The family would get to know it as they loved it, fed it, cared for it—and when it came time to slit the throat of that animal and smear its blood over the door frame, it would be difficult. The lamb was real. It was known. The act of taking its life would be very personal … exponentially more difficult than going to the marketplace and purchasing an unknown lamb.
God’s instructions were clear: The blood must be there on Passover night for that family to be protected when the angel of the Lord would pass over.
By an act of faith, the Israelites believed God.
By an act of faith, the Israelites painted their doorframes red with the blood of their beloved lamb.
Their faith resulted in their salvation; they were set free from bondage. Their exodus to freedom is recorded in Exodus 12:51.
The Old Testament sacrificial system required something to die for someone to live. Hebrews 9:22 confirms, “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness…”
Sin must be atoned.
Death would bring life.
Sobering thoughts, but as we prepare our hearts for Easter, we must reflect solemnly on our sin, so we can celebrate the One who died to save us from it. Jesus, our Passover Lamb, freed us from ourselves.
Is His blood painted over the door of your heart?
When judgment day comes, will the angel of the Lord pass over you—not because your list has been fixed by you, but because Jesus blotted it out by his blood?
I’m praying that thoughts of our Passover Lamb prompt sobering thoughts and transforming conversations for you and your family, as you prepare your hearts for Easter this year.
This week, the II Kings Bible study focuses on King Hezekiah, one of the final kings—and one of the few good kings—of the southern kingdom of Judah. We invite you to watch today as Laura shares three important lessons we can learn from the life of Hezekiah.
This week’s Martha Monday video introduces our April Write the WORD topic: LAMB. We invite you to watch as Laura shares thoughts on preparing our hearts to celebrate Christ’s resurrection as we read, write, and study verses with the word, “LAMB.”
Visit our Downloads page for this month’s free ‘Write the WORD: LAMB’ bookmark and S.O.A.P. study pages. Be sure you also download your copy of the monthly ‘Do It!’ List, as well!
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2
The Psalmist makes it clear: blessing comes when we steer clear of sin. The refusal to walk, stand, or sit with the wicked, with sinners, and with mockers brings blessing – or “happiness many times over.”
As children of God, we are not immune to captivity. Even though our hope for eternity is secure, we can be enslaved on earth. Are you imprisoned to habits, lifestyles, or behaviors that not only fail to honor God, but bring hopelessness and shame to you?
Finding freedom is a process that begins with acknowledging we are in chains. Whatever we stubbornly hold onto will eventually hold onto us.
Liberty is possible. We have hope. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Turning from a course that leads away from God means adjusting course to follow God. As we reject sin, we create room in our lives and in our hearts. Choosing to seek God will take us to His Word. That choice may begin as a “have to,” but I’m convinced our immersion will move us to “want to” and even “delight to.”
Your bondage may be an addiction to food, alcohol, or another substance. Maybe your hangup is trashy novels or trashy talk. It might be a critical spirit, a controlling attitude, laziness, love of money, or unbridled anger. Whatever enslaves us also prevents us from living for more – from living the life of blessing God has for us.
When we are finally sick and tired of being soul sick and tired of trying, He is ready to meet us. Like the prodigal son, when we are ready to come home to our father, He awaits – ready to welcome, to bless, and to love us.
Our transformation comes through His strength and not our own. We rest in His promises as we immerse ourselves in His Word. We choose to believe Him rather than the voice of condemnation whispering in our ear.
He has set us free. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
As we reject sin by removing ourselves from its presence, being mindful of where we walk, stand, and sit, we begin to turn the rudder of our heart back to God.
But our hearts are not vacuums. They were meant to be filled. Jesus cautioned that kicking out one evil spirit without filling up the space with something else leaves us vulnerable for that one to come back with seven more in tow. As we allow God to have His way, as we give Him full access to our hearts, as we place ourselves in the right place, away from sin and in His presence, freedom comes. Sin’s ties are loosened. We are renewed day by day. His presence and His power bring freedom and blessing. We are empowered to live with purpose and on purpose, day by day.
My “have tos” are transformed to “want tos.” I find myself actually delighting in His Word, and embracing my quiet time that was once boring and tedious. I now have freedom to live fully and completely in Him. Freedom to live loved and live blessed.
As children of God, we were created for more. Why live marginalized and compromised when we can live free? Why live with less when He has more?
As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s resurrection in just a few weeks, I would invite you to examine your heart and ask yourself: What choice is He prompting me to make today to live whole, free, and blessed?
It’s spring break in Northwest Arkansas, but even though the women’s Bible study didn’t meet, Laura recorded a special devotional for this week. Hope you enjoy these thoughts on the “high places” mentioned repeatedly in the Old Testament, and how God’s commandment for dealing with them applies to our lives today.
Laura is away this week so we’re looking back at a favorite video from early 2021. Watch now as she shares her easy recipe for a homemade quick bread that goes from pantry to table in less than half an hour!
Download your copy of this recipe for homemade bread HERE.
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,
and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them,
giving each the blessing appropriate to him.
Genesis 49:28
The 27 verses just prior to this one record Jacob’s blessings spoken over his twelve sons. The summary in verse 28 prompts several observations regarding the Old Testament tradition of blessing:
The old “sticks and stones” adage really isn’t true. Words can hurt. They carry a great deal of weight. They stick with us. But the opposite is also true: their weightiness can bring profound blessing to the recipient.
Each of us can most likely recall and replay a scene from our childhood when a parent affirmed, encouraged, or blessed us for a job we did well or a sacrifice we made, or maybe just reassured us of their love. An ordinary tool, a certain smell, the taste of a special dessert, or even the process of packing for a trip can transport us back to a place in time to re-experience anew the blessing.
Are you and I intentionally releasing blessing upon our children? Is it something that even occurs to us? It may or may not come naturally. The example of our parents may or may not impact us. Sometimes we follow the example of our own mom and dad, whether good or bad, and sometimes we choose to intentionally live out our own parenting responsibilities quite differently.
As you pray and ponder blessing your 3, 13, or even 30-year-old, keep in mind that the praise must be genuine. Children can sniff out manufactured praise and call our motives into question. Even good intentions can’t justify contrived commendation.
Also, keep it special by keeping it somewhat rare. We all recall that scene in The Incredibles when Syndrome sneered, “When everyone’s super, no one will be.” If every statement is a blessing, then none stand out as remarkable and memorable. But at the same time, don’t save up all those words of blessing for high school graduation day either. Release them. Don’t hold them in.
The mom of a friend of mine once chastised her daughter for telling her own (then) 5-year-old daughter she was beautiful. Grandma warned, “You’ll make her vain!” But Mom went ahead, releasing blessing anyway, and that little girl grew up to be a beautiful woman and mom herself. She and her husband even served on the mission field for several years. Who knows but that those words of blessing bolstered her confidence to answer God’s call?
As recipients of God’s blessings, we have the joy of releasing blessing to our children. We want them to acknowledge and appreciate that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” James 1:17
Ultimately, our blessings have little to do with what we do, but stem from who we know. Our identity in Christ is our eternal blessing. We joyfully and freely receive, so we can joyfully and freely give.
Would you make some time this week to ask God for words to bless your children, whatever their age? Ask Him for insight into their unique spiritual DNA, their love language, and what makes each tick. Allow His revelation to prompt the release of spoken words of blessing that will be treasured and remembered.
Lord, bless us and make us a blessing as we release blessing to our children.
This week, the ladies Bible study group took a break, but Laura has recorded a bonus teaching video. In our latest video, Laura returns to the tragic story of Joash, who escaped the murderous plot of his grandmother to become king of Judah at age 7. II Kings and II Chronicles tell the story of his efforts to repair and restore the temple … but when his mentor (and surrogate father) passed away, Joash rebelled against God and abandoned his faith.
We invite you to take a few moments to consider the important truths we can learn from this life that started with such promise and ended in tragedy.
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In this week’s Martha Monday video, Laura shares a favorite recipe for Taco Chicken Soup. This is an easy slow cooker meal that comes together quickly on busy days … perfect for these cool evenings as spring approaches!
Be sure to visit us on YouTube to download a free copy of the recipe. And if you haven’t subscribed to our channel yet, we hope today will be the day you decide to become a Cross My Heart subscriber!
Children are a heritage from the LORD,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
Psalm 127:3-5a
They come to us as infants: tiny bundles of blessing. They seem so little to have completely captured our hearts. In that precious moment of new birth, we know they are God’s blessing. No one has to convince us. Our hearts. Our minds. The marrow of our bones. All in.
But as time passes, sometimes we forget. Most days may be filled with laughter, joy, and assurance that we are both liked and loved. But there will be those days. Sleepless nights. Vomit. Crashed fenders. Half-done chores. Back talk. A speeding ticket. Whether they are 2 or 32, our children are a source of blessing, wonder, frustration, delight, and challenge. I wouldn’t trade anything for the privilege, but there were moments when the stress and worry of parenting seem almost unbearable.
Through my children, and now my three granddaughters, God has taught me many lessons. He has used them to bless me. I have learned that I am not nearly as wise, kind, or patient as I thought I was. I have learned that I am much less selfish than I ever thought I could be. I have learned that no sacrifice is too great, and that I can rise to any occasion when my loved ones’ health, hopes, or happiness is on the line.
Because I’m a mom and a grandmother, I’ve learned what I always knew in my head, but needed to know down in my gut: it’s not about me. My life, my parenting and grandparenting – all done for Him and through Him. It’s all for HIS glory.
Without the privilege of motherhood, I’m not sure I ever could have understood God’s unconditional love for me. It only began to make sense when I first embraced my own children and felt that fierce, devoted, unconditional love flowing through me for each of them. And the feeling of holding my own child’s child in my arms … it’s simply inexplicable.
Children are a blessing. Do you know that? Do you believe that? Does your daily life reflect that?
Our days with them are limited. Take it from a mother of adult children: time will pass much more quickly than you thought possible. Whether your children are still young or have already left home, I challenge you to be strategic and intentional in making every day matter. Every moment you spend with them should be celebrated, utilized, and spent wisely. I lament any day I squandered on surviving rather than being fully present.
Our children and grandchildren are a blessing because it’s through them that God teaches us much about Himself. They are a blessing because He uses us to love, teach, and encourage them to go forward – to people and places in the future that we ourselves will never meet and never go.
If you are a parent today, you are blessed. Treasure them and thank Him.
Have you had a chance to watch this week’s YouTube video? If not, we hope you’ll enjoy Laura’s teaching on II Kings 13 – 16:
This week, we’re featuring a throwback from June 2020. Watch today as Laura shares her recipe for Banana-Blueberry Bread, and shows exactly how to make it. Please visit us on YouTube to download your own copy of the recipe!
Planning to try Laura’s Banana-Blueberry Bread? We hope you’ll come back and leave a comment to let us know how you like the recipe!
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
Psalm 33:12
Regardless of the yardstick you use to define what blessed means, our nation (and the life we enjoy here) still measures up.
Our democratic republic was an experimental idea that invoked smirks from some, disdain from others, and hope to many more. And almost 250 years later, it’s still working.
We are blessed.
Recent world events are a reminder of just how great those blessings are. Each day, as we see heartbreaking stories of military aggression, bombings, callous disregard for human life, and displaced families fleeing their homes, we cannot help but be horrified by the violence taking place in Eastern Europe … and increasingly grateful of our lives here in the United States.
This country exists and functions by the principles laid out in our Constitution. Do you realize that you and I are mentioned in this historic document? Right there in the Preamble where the Founders recorded their intention to:
“… secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”
Posterity means you and me! The men who wrote those words put life, liberty, honor, and financial security on the line to make them a reality. Each generation since has stepped up to do the same.
Our blessings of liberty are secure so long as collectively we are willing to defend them – to the death, if need be. The truth of this hits home when we see citizens of other nations, forced to rise up in defense of their own country and their way of life.
Blessed is our nation. Blessed are we as citizens of this nation.
Psalm 33:12 says: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
Reaping the fruits provided by the sacrifices of others brings a lot of “happy” to our lives. But if blessing is defined as “happiness upon happiness,” then ultimate blessing to us as citizens individually, and to us as a nation corporately, can only be fully realized when we bow to God Almighty.
Perhaps the divide we see in our nation today proves this point. Getting a certain candidate elected, pushing for the agenda we support, lobbying and debating, persuading and posturing to garner political points … it’s all so tiresome and temporary. These short-term gains can never, ever bring eternal blessing.
Today’s headlines should not only prompt sincere prayer for Ukrainians who find their lives upended by war, but remind us to appreciate the many rights and privileges we so often take for granted as Americans. We should also reflect on who we are, how we got here, and maybe where we need to be, both individually and corporately. We’re happy to be citizens of our country, but are we blessed in the true, deep, biblical sense of being blessed?
How can we expect our nation corporately to make God our Lord if we as individuals fail to bow to Him? If you claim Jesus as your Savior, how do you prove that faith by bowing to Him as LORD?
Blessed are the citizens of the nation whose God is the Lord.
Let’s ask ourselves: how do we assure we aren’t settling for happy, when blessing awaits?
This week’s Bible study found us in II Kings, chapters 11 and 12. Listen today as Laura shares thoughts on two key women in the passage: Athaliah and Jehosheba. One was used by the enemy, the other used mightily by God. We hope their stories challenge you to steward your influence well!
It’s not too late to join us for this month’s Write The WORD. Our March theme is BLESSED. Visit our Downloads page for free copies of this newest bookmark, the optional S.O.A.P study pages, and more.
