In this space, I am sharing devotions written by our dear Barbara Meade.
Barbara grew up a Quaker and is a regular attendee at Spiceland Friends Church. Her faith and Quaker roots go deep as her uncle was a Quaker pastor, evangelist, and artist. Barb's writings about her many life experiences reveal her faith in Christ and highlight the memories of a great family, her years in the banking industry, and her time as a local small business owner. Barb's desire is to serve those around her through her encouraging devotionals and writings from her life. Barb has recognized that our relationship with Christ grows throughout our lives, both in good times and through life's challenges.
March 17, 2024
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Without those times, we’d not see or feel God at work. Just as Easter approaches, we see the ultimate results. The suffering our dear Jesus endured on that cross and the horror of what he endured. If we had been there, we’d never have seen how any good could have come from that.
Yet it took that suffering to save us all. When we ask, “Why, Lord, Why?” remember there is an answer. That answer may not come immediately, but you’ll find it one day.
Jerimiah 24: 5-6 God told the Israelites he would “build them up, not tear them down. It wasn’t a time to weep but a time to rejoice. God turned something meant for evil and turned it around for good.
Geneses 50:20 You intend to harm me, but God intended it all for good.
Romans 12 :1 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those called according to his purpose.
Amen
March 24, 2024
Finding God
The things we don’t see are strange when we’re looking straight at it. For example, an artist sees what many don’t. They notice the color, how a shadow falls at a certain time of day, the twist in that old tree, and so much more.
Once our heart has found God, we too see things differently. Like the artist, beauty appears. Our heart changes life changes. You will see God in all things.
Emotions are felt deeper. Finding God gives us peace. Only a Christian can face death and have no fear. God’s promises are the greatest comfort one can have.
1. We find God when reading the Bible.
2. Study the scripture
3. We find God in Prayer
4. We find God in church. We feel the Holy Spirit in worship.
Jerimiah 29:3 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me
James 4:8 Draw near to God simple for us. All we have to do is open our hearts and ask the Lord to forgive us our sins. Live from that moment for Christ.
We find God reading the Bible and studying scripture. We find God in church and follow the word, not the world.
Amen
April 9, 2024
Angels Among Us
A beautiful song written by Becky Hobbs, recorded by Alabama. She wrote the song because of a premonition she had. A warning, only to be hit by a semi truck the next day, she survived..
Only today April 5, 2024 my son- in- law walked away from being hit by a semi on I-70. Unfortunately the driver of that truck lost his life, not many walk away . I refer to Angels as God’s helpers, any one of us that ministers to others are God’s helpers. An Angel is a messenger of God’s there to guard you in all ways.
Randy Owen of Alabama felt the impact of this song. His 5 yr. old daughter Randa kept saying “daddy sing it again”.
Oh, I believe there are angels among us from somewhere up above. They show up in our darkest hour, to show us God’s eternal love.
Psalm 91: 11-12 For he will order his angels to protect you where ever you go.
Psalm 91; 11 For he commands his angels concerning you to guard you in all ways.
Luke 15: 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
I found over 110 verses speaking of angels.
Listen to that little voice with-in you, that feeling that’s trying to tell you something, it may be your angel.
Amen
April 17, 2024
A Milestone
This devotion is a milestone for me. This is my 100th devotion. When Pastor Eric asked me to write each week, little did I know what the Lord had in store. My second book is ready for publishing. I honestly didn’t believe I could do it; I gave it to the Lord and asked him to help me. It was then he showed me his purpose for me.
The cards and letters I’ve received, many from people I don’t know, tell me, “I needed that scripture, that story, it touched me.” Let him use you through your gifts and talents, which I’m sure are many.
2 Timothy 1:10 He has saved us and called us to a holy life: not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace.
1 Peter 4: 10-11 you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as a faithful servant of God’s grace in its various forms.
Proverbs 19 21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but the Lord’s purpose prevails.
God speaks to us through our feelings, inspiration, thoughts, scripture, prayer, and sermons. Also, through what he lays on our hearts. Circumstances in our life and our church.
Amen
April 30, 2024
How to Hear God's Voice
His voice is the written word, the Bible. Guess one could say to hear God’s voice is to read the Bible out loud.
His voice comes to us in many ways. He speaks to our hearts, the Holy Spirit, intuition, a song, scripture, and so much more.
If you are born again, you know his voice.
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”
To be born again is to give your life to the Lord, confess your sins, and ask for forgiveness. Accept God as your savior, and live the 10 commandments.
Pray; prayer is such a gift. Here, we talk to the Lord about everything. We speak to him; he speaks to us. We must learn to listen. He answers our prayers, not in our time but in his. The closer we become to him, the closer he becomes to us.
Matthew 19:26 With God, all things are possible.
John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Amen
May 7, 2024
Soul and Spirit
We can’t touch or see it, but we can feel it. When that song begins to play, or that memory flashes before us.
The stomach tightens, the heart cries in pain, and the tears flow. This is called grief. The opposite of this is laughter, joy, and love.
Without that soul and spirit within us, we’d feel nothing, just empty. The more we love, the more we grieve, or the more love and joy we feel.
God gave us joy, laughter, love, and grief; all are blessings. We sometimes question what the soul and spirit look like. Much is written about the spirit world, but until we are there, we’ll never know.
The three parts of man are spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the innermost part, our connection to God, and the soul is our very self.
John 4 24 God is the spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.
Romans 1 9 For God is my witness, for when I serve with my spirit, in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what a man should give in exchange for his soul.
Our faith sustains us, and God's word assures us.
Amen
May 15, 2024
Home
Everyone needs 3 homes. A family home, a church home, and a Heavenly home, and Jesus is the key to all three.
Home isn’t a structure; I know that personally when I saw mine “gone with the wind,” literally. It’s a love, connection, memories. A place of refuge and belonging. Regardless of where we go in life, we want to return home.
Even animals migrate and go back home. Our Heavenly home is our eternal home, which we strive for all through life.
Home is being with the ones you love, belonging, being safe, and at peace. I think I just described heaven.
Jesus described heaven in John 14:2. In my house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 If I go and prepare a place, I will come again.
When my husband was passing, he said to me, “I want to go home.” I replied, saying, “You are home”. Then I realized he was referring to his heavenly home.
God is our home. He is our refuge, our foundation, our everlasting life.
Amen
May 23, 2024
Taking Things For Granted
We are all creatures of habit. When we get up in the morning, without thought we turn on the water, wash our face, and make coffee. Giving little or no thought to how precious that water was and how easy it was to get.
Being taken for granted we feel not valued or appreciated. We expect the beauty, the good, and all that we love to always be there. It isn’t until we face people and things we no longer have that we realize how important everyone and everything is.
Hebrews 13:16: Make sure you don’t take things for granted.
Colossians 2:7: Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.
Don’t take God for granted. Isn’t it wonderful that God never takes us or anything he created for granted? Life changes in the bat of an eye. If our hearts are full of love and we appreciate God’s blessings, we are a lot less likely to take things and the ones we love for granted.
Amen
May 30, 2024
Where There is a Will, There is a Way
What once looked impossible became possible. One of my favorite scriptures is Matthew 19:26: With God, all things are possible.
Where we get in trouble is when we think we alone are accomplishing the task. We don’t give credit where credit is due. It is only by the grace of God we accomplish anything, let’s never forget that. 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have been given to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
God tells us throughout the Bible the value of hard work. There is a lesson: to make all tasks easier and the results better, we begin with prayer. “Lord help me, give me the knowledge, talent, whatever it takes to complete this task. When it looks impossible, we give it to the Lord and begin.
Faith is a wonderful thing.
Amen
June 6, 2024
When God Talks To You
The more you talk to God, the closer you become. He reaches us in many ways and answers prayers in many ways. A follower of Christ will listen. You know when something is tugging at your heart.
Learn to think with your heart, don’t complicate things, and let the Lord work through you. Sometimes I think, Lord, I can’t do this, but he shows me I can. It may be something someone calls on me to do. It’s the Lord working through another.
After all, we are here to help one another.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together, for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Amen
Eric is our associate pastor, working with outreach and youth ministry as well as adult discipleship and growth. Eric retired from a 28-year career in public education as a high school band director in 2019 and is now living his lifelong dream as a pastor. Eric and his wife, Diana, continue to live in Henry County where they have been lifetime residents. They "raised" three children and are now making their best attempt at "raising" themselves.