Diet Dr. Pepper and The Holy Spirit

February 19, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

I don’t go very long without a diet soft drink in my hand. When I feel the need for something to drink, nothing gets in my way until my thirst is quenched (Yay, DDP!).

In the same way, sometimes my soul feels so dry, and I long to drink in the soothing, soul-quenching grace of the Holy Spirit. The need becomes so strong that I drop what I’m doing and slip away to a private place—the bedroom, the bathroom, or the back porch.

When I go to my Father, I am never disappointed. He reveals to me my innermost self. He shows me the burdens that I thought I had laid at His feet, but which I later took back upon myself. He reminds me of the needs of others, that perhaps I had promised to pray for, but didn’t.

He listens as I confess what He already knew.

He restores my soul.

One of my favorite verses is, For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Phil. 2:13). This scripture is full of such excitement and promise! When I have a longing to pray, it’s not because of anything I’ve done. . .but because my Creator is moving in me.

What an awesome thought! It never ceases to amaze me that God actually takes the time to notice insignificant me and to draw me closer to Him. What’s even more amazing is that in His eyes, I’m not insignificant at all. In fact, even when the whole world may be against me, my Lord thinks I’m pretty special.

Wow, what a Savior!

Father, thank you for the gift and the privilege of prayer. Thank you for placing within my heart a longing to know You. And thank you for satisfying the thirst of my soul.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26

(Adapted from Time Out: A Quiet-time Devotional)

2 List-Making Habits Guaranteed to Shrink Your Soul

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

So and so didn’t speak to me at church yesterday…she didn’t even make eye contact!

I can’t believe she said that…my feelings were really hurt…

Well, back in 1992, he was a real pain to work with…

I remember how she lived back in high school…

Believe me, he can’t be trusted…

It’s real and it’s dangerous. That soul-shrinking habit of keeping track of the offenses of others, and in the process, hanging on to unforgiveness.

Oh, how we love to keep those lists! That good ‘ole running-tally of the mistakes and perceived slights of those around us. We know that God calls us to forgive, but what if the offender is never sorry for what they’ve done? Shouldn’t we make sure they know how offended we are? What if they don’t deserve forgiveness?

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. (Psalm 130:3-4 NIV)

When I read this verse, I feel so foolish hanging on to unforgiveness. Can you even imagine having to bear the weight of every sin we’ve ever committed?

Did Jesus die for everyone…except for that one person who drives us crazy?

Check out this next verse. I LOVE how it reads from The Message:

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. (Galatians 6:1,2)

Are we keeping a running-tally on anyone?

Has any bitterness taken root in our heart?

Don’t we want to be free of it, so we can lay claim to that abundant life we’re always hearing about?

Another equally dangerous list-making habit involves keeping track of our own offenses. You know, those dreaded regrets…I’ve done this, and I’ll always be defined by it. God could never use me because of my past…

So, what are we actually saying?

Lord, I really appreciate what you did on the cross and all, but it wasn’t quite enough to cover ____________ (you fill in the blank).

Satan loves to point fingers and to remind us of past mistakes. When he does, we need to remind him of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) reads, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we confess…He is faithful.

Once more—If we confess…He is faithful.

Getting back to Psalm 130, God wants to lift from our shoulders (and hearts), the weight of living with condemnation and regrets. But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

Freedom to serve the One who removes our chains—what a gift!

So the next time we feel offended, or we’re struggling under the weight of regret, let’s add a couple of names to a list that’s sure to shake the foundations of hell and cause our souls to soar:

A list of burdened hearts to take before the Throne of Grace.

How Do You Measure Up? Take the Quiz…

January 23, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

As a teenager, I loved taking quizzes and working from a checklist. No, not the Math/English/Science variety. The good kind. You know, the ones designed to provide insight into your very soul.

Pouring over the latest teen magazines, I could feel my heart-rate increase as my friends and I would devour every page, knowing there would be at least one feature entitled, What Kind of Man Will You Marry? How Cool Will You Be in High School? Are You a Good Kisser? What is Your Body Type? What Type of Boyfriend is Best for You?

The kind that asked 10 simple questions, directed you to tally up your A’s, B’s, and C’s, then revealed—with incredible insight, I might add—everything a young seeking heart needed to know.

It was from this source of wisdom that I knew I would marry a dark-haired prince, have 6.7 children (whatever that means), and maintain a svelte size 6 for the duration of my life.

I did, indeed, marry a dark-haired prince. The others? Not so much.

As we grow older and wiser, and leave Teen Beat and Seventeen behind, it’s easy to continue having a checklist mentality. And if we’re talking about our schedules or a grocery list, then it’s all good. The problem comes when our quiz/checklist goes something like this:

I attend church at least three times a month…check
I had my devotional time this morning…check
I’ve memorized scripture this week…um, not quite
I gave an offering last Sunday…um, I will this week
I’ve cooked a meal for someone in need…groan…
I have prayed for the needs of others…yes!
I have visited someone in the nursing home or hospital…check
I have not gossiped this week…sigh.

SCORE:
8 Checks – Wow, I’m amazing…running on all cylinders and impressing God big-time. (Well, maybe next week…)
5-7 Checks – I’m getting there… No one’s perfect anyway (Said in a really whiny voice)
0-4 Checks – (This is my score again?!) God must be furious with me. I need to work harder to get back into His favor!

So, what’s the big deal? We’re busy caring for our families, working long hours, and staying active in church. And we’re placing as much energy as possible into pursuing that vague, elusive thing called happiness…because, well, that’s what we’re supposed to be about, right?

Sanctified, justified, gloriously happy Christians.

But sometimes, we cling to unhealthy habits at the expense of our inner spirit—that mysterious place that our Creator wants to nurture and grow in His likeness. Keeping a checklist for the purpose of pleasing God can be a suffocating habit. It’s also a huge soul-shrinker and can lead to lack of peace and frustration with what we’re told the Christ-like life should be.

When we live by a checklist (or by tallying a quiz), we reduce our lives to a works-based faith. We are trying to earn God’s pleasure…and it can be exhausting!

In the book, Restless, Jennie Allen writes, “Because of grace, we have nothing to prove.”

Oh, the truth of this!

In Ephesians 1:4-6 (The Message), we read, Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

We are bought with His blood on the cross. We belong to Him!

It’s all about that GRACE, ‘bout that Grace, no devil… (Sorry, that wasn’t original, saw it somewhere and it made me laugh)

GRACE–Undeserved, unmerited favor.

I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:39 (The Message)

When we grab hold of this—that nothing can separate us from the love of God—something amazing happens…

We experience a freedom like no other! We are then compelled to do some of the things on our lists because we love Him. Instead of serving to earn brownie points or to retain favor, we serve as an act of worship—to show our love and adoration to the One who made us. Service becomes relational—we’re on mission with God.

I want my children to call or visit me because they love me—not because they think I’m keeping a tally on them. And when they’re little, don’t we want those sweet chubby arms around us from the simple joy of baby-love, not from a sense of duty?

Would God want anything less?

So, let’s put the quizzes and checklists away (I’m pretty sure my dark-haired prince is from the Lord, anyway).

After all, it’s all about that GRACE. 🙂

I Resolve

January 3, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

Heart Undivided is kicking off the year (football on the brain) with a new look. I hope you like it! The first post of 2015 is a throw-back to life with little ones. Ah, the memories.

Future posts will focus on the top soul-shrinkers in our lives – how little habits can be stumbling blocks in our quest to experience the amazing abundant life that God desires for us. I look forward to exploring God’s Word together!

***********

It’s hard to believe, but we are standing on the threshold of a brand new year. Looking back, I can’t help but wonder, Where did last year go? With excitement and anticipation I draw a deep breath and boldly take a first step into the future. I don’t get very far, however, before I’m interrupted with that age-old, most irritating question:

So, what’s your New Year’s resolution?

Sigh.

Can’t I just be happy about a new year without having to resolve something? Okay, I’ll play along. I resolve. . .I resolve. . .I resolve to be more decisive. . .I guess. Well, I’ll try anyway. And I’ll clean out the refrigerator more often. Although personally, I think the moldy stuff in the back is very educational for the girls.

I’ll try to remember to open the damper before I build a fire. I promise never, ever again to accidentally wash my red sweatshirt along with everyone’s underwear. And I resolve most solemnly to never again use Roy’s pliers to nail something on the wall (unless I can’t find the hammer).

I’ll try not to use the ATM quite so often (unless I run out of checks). Oh, and I’ll do better about recording specific amounts in the check register. And I’ll definitely put a stop to my impulse buying—unless, of course it’s on sale, wherein I declare the previous resolution null and void.

Wow. That’s a lot of changes to make in one year. Maybe I should just concentrate on one or two. . .

Father,
I want to thank You for
the blessings of the past year.
You have been at work
in my life in countless ways.
I praise You for Your faithfulness
and especially for Your forgiveness.
As I begin a new year,
remind me to grow from
my mistakes and to give
every moment to You.

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:6

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. Psalm 92:1-2

(From Time Out: A Quiet-time Devotional)

Remember the Child

December 2, 2014November 26, 2016 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 2 Comments

What is that sound?
Is it the sound of Christmas?

The ring of cash registers,
The grumbling of overworked, overtired parents.
Cries from children who can’t live without that certain toy…
What is that sound?
Shoppers scrambling for a shot at the best prices
At the best stores.
The seductive lure of advertisers
Blaring out from every radio and television.

The sights and sounds of Christmas…

If we look and listen a little more,
We can see cherub faces, pink from a recent scrubbing,
All lined up to represent characters in a story from long ago.
We can see a choir—rehearsed and dressed in matching apparel,
Singing about a child of lowly birth.
We see a room, alight with the glow of candles…
Inhale the scent of freshly baked goodies,
Delight in the laughter and love of family and friends.

But if our hunger for Christmas is real,
And our thirst for truth runs deep…
Perhaps we could look even closer,
And listen even harder…

Look beyond the gaudy neon signs and glaring lights.
Envision a night of exquisite beauty,
With the only source of light coming from a star-filled sky.
Listen…and hear the shallow breathing of shepherds and
The gentle bleating of sheep.
Feel the emotions of a new father and mother
As their eyes meet, and they silently rejoice in awe and wonder.
Behold the look of radiance on a virgin mother’s face
As she holds an infant soft in sleep.

Reach and touch newborn skin…
Feel the baby’s warm breath on your hand.
And as you touch,
Know that you are touching…
The Son of God.

Be careful…
Don’t lose the vision.
Open your heart and let this most holy of nights
Enter your soul and change you forever.
And when the world threatens to overwhelm you,
And you feel like you’re drowning in the season…

Remember the night…
Remember the sounds…
Remember the love…

Remember…the Child.

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (HCSB)

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (HCSB)

Have a wonderful Holy Season!

Joyfully,

Leigh Ann 🙂

Ten Things I’m Thankful For (That I Can’t Say in Church)

November 17, 2014April 25, 2017 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

At the risk of sounding unspiritual, I am going to compose a list of ten things for which I am extremely thankful – things that would barely receive an honorable mention during Sunday school, or a Thanksgiving service. I will not be sharing the typical offerings, i.e. the joys of: my saving relationship with Jesus Christ, my precious marriage to an amazing man, my children, extended family and dear friends. I will forego babbling on and on about how my heart puddles when my baby grandson “kisses” my face or how I almost cried when I had the privilege of feeling my youngest grandson kick in my daughter’s tummy. I will not share scripture about keeping a thankful heart. I will simply list a few things that make me smile.

So here we go…in no particular order…

1 – Peanut M&M’s

2 – Autumn in the South (Cotton fields, sunflowers, cooler temps)

3 – Diet Dr. Pepper

4 – Our overgrown mutt, Harvey, who can turn 27 circles in 10 seconds

5 – Peanut M&M’s

6 – A genuine wood-burning fireplace on a cold rainy day

7 – My husband’s goofy jokes and laughing till it hurts

8 – Andy Griffith reruns

9 – Football season (Go Panthers!)

10 – My favorite pair of blue jeans and a pair of fluffy socks

11 – Hobby Lobby

(I added an extra one, just in case someone noticed a repeat)

*******

Thank you, Father, for your good and perfect gifts – the heart-stopping amazing ones, and the simple-everyday ones!

(I have to share just one…) Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

Now it’s your turn! What are your “everyday” favorites?

It has occurred to me that while we might not hear these “blessings” shared in an adult setting, we would surely hear many like them in a group of children. We can learn so much from the simple thankfulness of a child!

No Sense of Loyalty

November 3, 2014 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

I hate my bathroom scale.

It has no sense of loyalty whatsoever. I mean, all I did was overeat just a teensy bit last weekend, and it actually turned on me, claiming I had gained four pounds in three days.

That’s gratitude for you. I bought the scale in good faith. I placed it in a prominent place in the bathroom. I regularly replace the batteries to ensure complete accuracy. And now, with no warning at all, it mockingly flashes extra poundage at me.

The scale is obviously mistaken. I mean, I admit to savoring three pieces of my mom-in-law’s world-famous chocolate pie—but I was standing up when I ate them. And we all know those calories don’t count. I also sneaked a few items off Roy’s tray when we went out Saturday night. But it’s common knowledge that food originating from someone else’s plate is completely void of calories or fat grams.

And yes, I confess to inhaling a half-dozen doughnuts in one sitting. But that was only because I feared recrimination for leaving just two or three in the box. I had to eat them all in order to destroy the evidence that they ever existed in the first place.

So you see, the scale’s claims are completely unfounded and irresponsible. But just as a precautionary measure, I plan to limit my snacking this week to low-cal popcorn. To help the taste, however, I’ll need to use just a teensy-weensy bit of butter. . .

Father, sometimes my lack of discipline amazes even me. Help me to give everything to You,
including my eating habits. I want to glorify You in all things.

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Proverbs 23:20-21

(From Time Out: A Quiet-time Devotional)

Mission Extraordinaire

October 23, 2014 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

As a young wife and mother, mired in the day to day, I sometimes wondered if I was doing and being all God wanted or expected. I yearned for a sense of purpose, at times not realizing it was right in front of me…

I sat spellbound as the guest speaker shared experiences from her years of missionary service in Kenya. With a crown of white hair and clear blue eyes, this gentle servant’s face seemed to glow with love for her Lord. I was moved to tears as story after story unfolded, demonstrating God’s faithfulness to people in physical and spiritual poverty.

As I listened, I found myself drawn to this servant of God in a way that seemed to reach to the depths of my heart. Deeply moved, I prayed, Oh Lord, I want to serve You like that! I want to go. I want to do something for You. Oh Father, please show me my mission field!

Later that week, lost in my regular routine, I found myself questioning my earlier feelings of urgency. Lord, where is my mission field? I have a husband and children. I have endless responsibilities. I can’t just run off to a foreign country. I felt Your call to deeper servanthood, but what is it You want me to do?

I could almost hear the heavens sigh as the light went on in my mind and heart. That’s right, I am a wife and mother. My first calling is to serve God by serving my family. I felt a thrill as I realized that I am a missionary, right here, right now. By divine appointment I am here in this place to minister to those with whom I come in contact.

After her family, a mom’s mission field includes neighbors, the check-out clerk in the grocery store, the elderly lady sitting alone in the next booth at McDonald’s, and anyone else the Lord lays on our hearts. God want us to open our spiritual eyes and be aware of what He’s already doing around us. All He asks is that we be willing, ready, and faithful to His call.

Moms, don’t ever wonder where your mission field might be – you are living it every day. Little hearts are fertile soil for precious seeds of the Gospel.

Father, I am humbled by Your call on my life. I stand amazed that You would entrust me with touching others in Your name. May I be ever aware of the tremendous privilege and responsibility You have given me. Open my eyes, Lord, to every opportunity to speak for You.

These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 HCSB)

Overwhelmed

September 29, 2014 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 2 Comments

I don’t like this, Lord
Not at all.
It’s inconvenient, somewhat painful,
And to be perfectly honest…
Not in my plans.
Did You ever think about, I don’t know,
Checking with me?
I have a lot going on, Lord.
Wife, mother, co-worker, friend,
(And the list goes on).
People depend on me to be
Strong
Confidant
Resourceful
Spiritual…
Yeah, right.

But getting back to that honesty, Lord
I don’t like this,
Not at all.
This particular circumstance is
Unnerving
Draining
Frustrating
Exhausting.
Why this situation, Lord and
Why now?
Isn’t there another way I could
“Bring You honor?”
And Lord, if it’s ok…
I have one more question:
How am I supposed to glorify You
When I’m so overwhelmed with me?

Don’t you see, Child? It’s my desire for you to be Overwhelmed…with Me.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

What a RUSH

September 9, 2014 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

There we were–two grown women–strapped into harnesses, attached to the same monster-kite, and tethered to a speedboat.

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

My brain is firing on all cylinders – I. Am. Going. To. Die.

My sister and I were enjoying a get-away-from-it-all mini-vacation, and Charlene had talked me into going parasailing. As we sat on the back of the boat, waiting to be yanked off into our forever-home-in-Glory, Charlene and I had dramatically different mindsets.

She had already begun to hoot and holler, anticipating the adrenaline rush of soaring miles in the air. I was fighting nausea and reviewing all the things I should have said to my husband and children.

I thought of everything that could go wrong. I didn’t trust the hardware clipping us to the overgrown kite. I didn’t trust the harness, or the boat. I didn’t trust the driver of the boat. I didn’t trust the sharks that I assumed were circling beneath us. And I especially had no confidence in my free-spirited sister who was rushing me head-long into an untimely death.

For the next ten minutes, two sisters soared over the earth, making lifetime memories. My cohort screamed with laughter and urged me to look around and soak it up. I kept one hand above the metal clips (just in case they were to fail…I would at least stay in contact with the parasail), and managed a quick smile for a sky-high selfie (way before selfies were cool). It was all over in a flash, and after being safely reeled back into the boat it hit me:

Charlene had experienced it.

I had survived it.

It all came down to trust. My adventure-loving sibling didn’t waste time worrying about the people or equipment involved. Because she trusted that all was in order, she was free to live the experience.

In our walk with Christ, it can happen in the same way. We can trust His heart, knowing that He works all for our good (the whole Romans 8:28 thing), or we can obsess and worry ourselves into simply surviving. What if God isn’t watching this time? What if this is actually out of His control? What can I do to fix this if He doesn’t come through on my timetable? What if, what if, what if…?

Jesus didn’t die on a cross, justifying me before a Holy God, just so I could worry myself through this life.

His sacrifice set me free to live the experience.

I can trust Him, because He is Faithful. I may be weak and inconsistent, but He is Faithful. I may be terrified of the surrounding storms and circumstances, but HE is Faithful and True. He invites me to keep my eyes on Him, not the surrounding chaos.

A trustworthy Savior Who loves me…

…now that’s an adrenaline rush!

Father, thank you for the peace You provide, regardless of circumstances. When I’m tempted to be distracted by the chaos around me, help me to keep my eyes and heart focused on You. Help me to remember that because I belong to You, You are working all things for my good.

————–

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:19 (NLT)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7 (NIV)