A Mess in His Hand

Have you ever seen the mess under your table after a full day of kid occupation and demolition? Gathering under your table are portions of pancake and bits of bacon from breakfast; glints of goldfish and hunks of ham from lunch; scattered salmon and messy mashed potatoes from dinner, and don’t even get me started on the ever accumulating pesky pieces of play dough, fragments of forgotten toys and determined debris from the yard.

You look at the mess under your table and become overwhelmed. “I just cleaned all this mess yesterday!” you think. Then, your mind begins its spiral into a dismal recount all of the housekeeping you do every second of the day – cooking, organizing, cleaning messes, picking up toys, changing diapers, doing laundry and that’s just the stuff you do at home!

I remember on one particular evening I finally cracked! I was so upset about the mess in the kitchen. It felt as though I looked away for one second and a tornado pointed its tricky finger down from ceiling, stirring the contents of my kitchen and brought it back up before I could see it. My mind started fuming, and I took a nose dive into my own pity party.

I angrily got the broom and started sweeping under the table. I filled my mind with all the little and seemingly insignificant things I do all day long. I questioned my purpose and the meaning of life, which at the time felt like was all about cleaning. I had no peace or joy, and I forgot all of the blessings God pours on me each day.

About one minute later my floor was clean (all that complaining for something that was so easy to do)! I walked over to the trashcan to dump out that day’s destruction, and I noticed how little the mess looked in the dustpan. I stared at the gathered garbage and laughed. I could hold all of it on the palm of my hand.

How could such a little mess cause me so much grief?

That’s when God gave me an important image. I know it sounds cliché, but I imagined all of my life’s problems in the palm of His hand, and they seemed small.

Everything is small compared to the power and love of God. If we give our lives over to Him, we are protected for eternity. Nothing can snatch us out of His hands. Though the messes of life – busyness, illness, divorce and death – surround us; we know that our Heavenly Father is holding them all in His mighty hand. He doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy; He simple promises that we will be able to persevere (James 1.12).

What messes are you dealing with today?

Do you trust that God holds them in His hand?

Will you determine your mind not to worry about situations that are out of your control? Let us praise God that we will be spending eternity in heaven with Him!


"Father, please help us to have faith that You truly have the whole world (including our messes) in Your mighty hands. Amen!"

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them
out of my hand” (John 10.28 NIV).

No-Thank-You-Bite

Have you ever eaten a “No-thank-you-bite”?

You are eating with a friend. She offers you food, but you really don’t want to taste it. However, she looks at you with an enthusiastic smile, nudging the spoon toward your mouth.

You are eating at her favorite sushi restaurant (raw fish makes your stomach churn, and you’re there just for the teriyaki chicken) or she just made her award-winning quiche (you really don’t like eggs because the texture is slimy, but the bacon sure smells good). She is over-the-top eager for you taste the food even though you confess that you dislike it.

I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

You finally take the bite because you figure that her feelings are more important than your taste buds. You smile and tell her that it’s wonderfully made and admit that you can see why people would love it. . . .yet, (unlike the green eggs and ham) it is still not something you would eat again.

I’ve realized that God also gives us “No-thank-you bites."

I remember when I had just finished grocery shopping, and I drove past a local ministry. All of a sudden, I felt a passion to help this ministry. I knew the Holy Spirit was prompting me, but I had absolutely no idea how I would fit another thing onto my already bulging plate of to-dos.

I kept thinking to myself, “I’ve never been passionate about this type of ministry before.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Okay, God. Just tell me what I need to do.”

I decided to make my spirit available for God to lead, and I went on about my day. That night I told my church home group that God prompted me to help out this ministry. After I finished telling my story, my friend’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. She told us a long narrative about how that ministry has been on her heart for years, but she has never taken the first step of faith to get involved.

The next morning, I picked up my friend, and we drove to the ministry to see if we could help out. My friend chatted away, got phone numbers and took charge of a particular need they had.

I just sat there realizing that God had just given me a “No-thank-you-bite.”

My friend went on to organize a beautiful giving campaign, and I tagged along offering encouragement. God used me to “taste” a ministry, so my friend could have an all-out dinner buffet. Isn’t God so cool!

Can you look back to a time that God gave you a “No-thank-you-bite”? What did it taste like?

“They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves” (Acts 27:36 NIV).

What Shall I Wear?

Early one morning, I stared into my closet and wondered what I should wear? I was about to pull one of my nice shirts off of the hanger, but I thought better of it. I didn't want to waste a nice shirt on a day that was a "just-get-it-over-with" kind of day.

"Today is not special," I thought. "I should just wear jeans and a t-shirt."

I put on the jeans and t-shirt and inspected myself in the mirror. I realized that I pretty much wear jeans and a t-shirt every day. As I stared at my reflection, God nicely connected my outward attire to my attitude. I had a negative attitude towards this day. I wanted to hurry up and get it out of the way. I had already made up my mind that this day would be unimportant and absolutely no fun. And judging from my hamper overflowing with t-shirts and jeans, I harbored that attitude a lot.

Although there is nothing wrong with wearing jeans and a t-shirt, God revealed an expectation and attitude I had about my days that needed to be readjusted. Every morning, I roll up my sleeves and plow through my day like a tractor on autopilot. I trudge along and miss most of the enjoyment because my expectations are low and my attitude is wrong.

Have you ever done that?

Have you ever thought to yourself, "If only I could get through this day, life would be better"?

God is teaching me that I need to change my attitude and expect great things every day. God is the master weaver of our days, and He does not waste a single one. None of our days drop under His radar; He has a divine appointment for us each and every day!

Now, I'm not saying that every day is going to be filled with rainbows and lollipops, but each day does serve a purpose. I think if we put our trust in God, we can find joy even in the hard times. God doesn't waste a single heartache, conflict or tragedy. He cares about us and our days, and He wants us to be blessed.

If you are a Christian, you have the ultimate portal to joy -- Jesus Christ! People are looking at us, and they are wondering why we are here on this earth. They want to see if Jesus makes a difference in our lives. They need to see our joy, especially during the mundane and hard times.

If we start tapping into the joy that is within us, we would have joy every where we go, no matter the circumstance! Once we get good at opening that joy, we can start sharing it with those around us. We can pass out God's joy like it's going out of style, and people will praise God because of it!

I am learning to put on a new attitude every morning, even if I still put on my jeans and t-shirt! What about you? How can you give your attitude a new wardrobe?

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and
be glad in it" (Psalm
118.24).

"Lord, help me to have an new attitude today. I want to live like each day has a grand purpose. I know that You do not waste a single moment in this vapor of a life. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen."

Potty Training & God Training

I know that many women have been able to potty train their kids over night, but that has never been the case for me. Whenever I read an article that boasts, "Potty train your toddler in 24 hours," I want to laugh.

All their lives, toddlers have been doing their business in a diaper, and overnight they are expected to change everything they are comfortable with and used to. . . ?

Come on, now! How is that possible?!

Yes, I know some of you have experienced that potty-miracle, but not this chick; and I suspect many other women haven't experienced that miracle either.

My second born son is now almost three, and I must confess, I so wanted to keep a diaper on him until he turned 16. I have a lot of regrets from potty training my first born, and I was not looking forward to rehearsing all my mistakes.

This time I was determined to have realistic goals for my son. I decided to be a big ball of spiritual fruits -- patience, kindness, self-control, etc.

It has been two months since I started potty training my son, and he will go pee-pee in the toilet; but he still will not go poo-poo (you can add your own bowl movement euphemism).

When I first started potty training my second son, he wouldn't even sit on the toilet, let alone do his business. He was scared of it. So my only goal has been to de-fear him.

Everyday my son sits on the toilet after we eat lunch, and we play. I read him books, we sing songs, we play games . . . I do everything to make the toilet a fun place to be. I will continue to work towards making him feel comfortable, while demanding and expecting nothing from him.

Though he hasn't as yet completed the desired goal, I'm still proud of him. He has come a long way from the boy crying gator-tears, sitting with his legs in the air on the toilet. He now sits comfortably, while laughing and smiling.

Would you mind if I tied this potty experience into something that God taught me? He doesn't waste a good metaphor, does He?

God is constantly training us to be more Christ-like, and change is very hard. I have a friend who moved and lost all of her spiritual-support group. She is alone in another country, and she is having difficulty being intimate with God. She is very relational and not having the influences of her Christian friends has created a gap in her spiritual-growth -- a gap that God wants to fill.

She says that she doesn't feel God doing anything with her. She doesn't feel any great movements of the Holy Spirit. She wonders if she is doing something wrong.

I told her, "You are doing something right!"

God is allowing my friend to get comfortable just being with Him without her usual infrastructure of spiritual help. He is not pushing her or expecting much of her; He just wants her to get used to this new level of intimacy. Once she is comfortable, He'll be ready to ask more of her.

Do you feel like God is doing nothing with you? Are you scared because you are in the middle of change? Don't be hard on yourself! God will not push you! He cares for you, and He wants to make this transition easy.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11.30 NIV).

"Thank You, God, for making Your yoke light. Help me to understand that You are caring and gentle, not hard and demanding. Guide me and show me how You are making me into the perfect design that You created me to be. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen."

A Spiritual Flu Shot

I bought a book from the religious section at Barnes and Noble a few years back. It looked like an interesting, encouraging read and the author on the cover looked smart and friendly. I went home and started reading it. As I read it, I felt very empowered. The book discussed deep, spiritual ideas, and I believed that I had found a hoard of valuable insight.

I read one quote from the author that I thought was brilliant, so I typed the quote word for word and massed emailed it to almost everyone on my address list. I wanted everyone to know what wonderful things I was reading. I wanted everyone to be encouraged by this author as I was.

After I sent out the email, I continued reading the book. I began to get a sinking feeling deep in my spirit. I noticed that I was already on the second chapter of the book, but the author had yet to write anything about Jesus. How could that be? Jesus is the highlight; He is the main attraction.

I quickly started thumbing through the book desperately looking for the name "Jesus," but I couldn't find His name. Then, I flipped to the back cover of the book to see which Christian leaders had supported her book, but I didn't recognize any of the names.

Finally, I got on line and looked up the author's name and the truth became evident:

I had an encounter with a false prophet.

Her words sounded beautiful, spiritual and right-on. I felt comforted and encouraged by her ideas about spirituality. Many things she touched on were based on biblical truth. I could probably back much of what she said with scripture. Yet, even with a ton of supporting evidence, she still purposefully skipped over Jesus and His sacrifice for us on the cross.

When I realized that I had been unknowingly tricked by a false prophet, I was so ashamed. Why didn't I research the author before I bought the book? Why did I mass email my friends with this author's spiritual emptiness? I knew what I had to do. I had to eat a big o' slice of humble pie and mass email all my friends back and tell them that I had made a mistake.

It was very embarrassing, but I did it. I explained what happened and apologized for not getting more information before spreading the false teaching.

I was so disheartened about this entire event for several years until God recently taught me something. God gave me the image of a spiritual flu shot. Sometimes God exposes us to a small dose of failure to prepare us for a greater victory.

I can say honestly say that now before I consume information and pass on information, I ALWAYS verify the creditability of the author. My false-prophet radar is constantly in high-gear, and I am now able to quickly recognize false teaching that glosses over the importance of Jesus Christ and the cross.

The amazing thing is that my email address list has multiplied greatly since my mass email several years ago. I am now a leader in several ministries, including writing ministries which emphasize the passing on of information. God was so good to me that He allowed me to stumble when the stakes weren't that high. If I were to stumble now, I wouldn't even want to think about the damage that could be done.

Has God ever allowed you to stumble?

Can you look back and see how God might have been giving you a spiritual flu shot?

Can you see a difference in your life today because of that spiritual flu shot?

"God, thank You for allowing us to stumble. No hurt, disappointment or failure comes without Your notice and design. Help us to get over our humiliation and look to Your instruction. Show us how to get rid of our pride and become wiser in You. For it is in Jesus' name we pray, Amen."

"Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning" (Proverbs 9.9 NIV).

Alisa Hope Wagner

Alisa Hope Wagner gave her life to Jesus at the age of 14 in a small Baptist church in South Texas. All she wanted was to be loved, and she found that love through Jesus Christ. Alisa has never felt unloved since that day!
Alisa has her BA degree in English from A & M - Corpus Christi and her MA degree in English - Applied Linguistics from the University of Houston. She has taught English to every age group: elementary, junior high, high school and college.

Alisa is a full-time mother who is able to write while raising and homeschooling her three vivacious children. She has a God-given passion to write, and she loves to write about what the Holy Spirit is currently teaching her. Alisa has published devotionals, articles and poetry; and she is continuously trying to reach people for Christ with her writing. She has also written her first novel and is currently seeking publication.

Alisa is the chief editor of the Granola Bar Devotional and is always looking for new ways to help people share their faith story. She loves her church, Bay Area Fellowship, and is a member of the JANES Women's Ministry core team. She is honored to teach a discipleship program called One on One with God and enjoys watching God change the lives of His daughters.

Alisa married her high school sweetheart and has been married for over ten years. Her husband is the greatest supporter of her writing ministry. Alisa's twin-sister is her biggest motivator. Alisa's two sons and daughter offer her constant joy and continuous lessons on the Fruits of the Spirit.

Alisa's true hope with her writing is that through it people are brought closer to God!