“When Peter came to himself, he said, 'Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.'” (Acts 12:11)

It sounds funny to expect the unexpected because honestly, how can we expect the unexpected it is not the desired outcome it is what we would not consider happening. No one expected for someone to rewrite the alphabet song because singing the ABCs was too difficult but, it happened. No one expects to get a flat tire while driving on the road but, it happens.

When we pray often, we pray for what we expect will happen but, God is the God of the possible and can make the unexpected happen. We are not called to live predictable lives that are naturally possible. Many of us love what is predictable we know exactly what we can get, what we will find, what is there. However, we are called to an invitation to more. We are called to expect the unexpected when God is involved. When we pray to God, he can do things that we are not able to do for ourselves.

​We know what others can do for us but, underestimate what God wants to do for us. God is a God of surprises. He loves to do things we can’t predict or see coming. We cannot predict what God is going to do, and we never will be able to do so. He thinks, plans, and operates on a level all by Himself. Because of whom he is he will always do what we do not expect. God loves us and wants the best for each one of us.
 
Heavenly Father, Lord, may we not put expectations on what you can do in our lives. May we embrace the unexpected in our lives.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea.” (Acts 11:29)
 
This weekend an organization is hosting a workout competition to raise money to support those in recovery. The executive director has put a sign up within the gym that for every dollar donated he will do a burpee. He might end up doing a lot of burpees depending on how much people decide to donate. There is no requirement to donate or how much each person should give it is up to everyone to determine how much they would want to give.

Some people view giving as a waste of money since it is money they could have used for something else either saving, bills, or on fun times. No matter who we are rich or poor, boss or employee everyone can donate something but, it must come willingly and not out of place of “I have to”. When we give generously, and willingly it changes us from the inside out. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and love for others when we give generously. Our generosity is used within the community in all types of ways providing clothing, shelter, food, and even relief in foreign countries.
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We should respond when others are in need, we might not be able to go directly to them and give assistance, but we can donate to trusted organizations to help provide relief. Our expressions of love should be generous and practical within our abilities. Everything that we own is a gift from God it is through God’s grace. When we see others, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ it changes our perspective that those that need relief are not strangers but someone who we should take care of.
 
Heavenly Father, thank you for the possessions that you have given us may you help us to be generous with what we have.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” (Acts 9:31)
 
This is a great picture of the church it is spreading and growing throughout the region. Just within the city of Portland there are dozens of different churches although today many would consider Portland the least religious city in Oregon. When people think of Portland they might think of the slogan “Keep Portland Weird” not the growth of the church. The church is growing in Portland and will continue to grow.

As the church grows, we are to walk in the fear of the Lord. What does it mean to walk in the fear of the Lord? It does not mean we have to be afraid of God. It means we have a reverence and awe of God. His holiness, greatness, and majesty evoke a healthy fear in us. In our daily lives this could be choosing to be honest even if means not getting a job because we value God’s holiness. This can even be practicing self- control abstaining from alcohol or harmful substances because we believe that God wants us to take care of our bodies.

​We are intended to walk in the fear of the Lord while being encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised us one who will comfort us, who also convicts us of sin, but also encourages us while we go through challenges to get better, continue through hard things, and even seek help when we cannot do it on our own. The Holy Spirit is there to encourage us and guide us on our journey of God’s grace.
 
Heavenly Father, help us to live a life worthy of your holiness, grace, and greatness. Holy Spirit, may you encourage us each day even when we face our toughest challenges.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.”  (Philippians 4:8)
 
Tik Tok is full of people always getting into confrontations and arguing about topics that take place within society, body count, science, is Jesus real. They want people to admit that their way of thinking is wrong. This only brings conflict neither side becomes closer at having a relationship or even building rapport. They tend to view everything one way and leave no room for any differences this does not make room for peace.

​The idea for solving for peace can happen in many forms we might need to add something into our lives to gain peace and sometimes we need to remove something out of our life to gain peace. Many times, we focus on what we must remove and get bogged down. This can lead to resentment and not actually creating peace within our lives. When we only observe what we must remove we forget that we have capabilities to accomplish our own goals to create peace within our lives. We might have old items in our storage units that we can sale, can pick up hours cleaning houses and workspaces, or even working various events because we have free time. Both removing negative habits or items we do not need and working within our strengths give us ways we can solve for peace within our lives.

Though removing and working within our strengths creates a way for peace ultimate peace is found in Jesus. Jesus brings us inner peace a sense of calm amongst all the struggles that happen within our life. Not only not does Jesus bring inner peace but, we have peace with God. Through faith in Jesus, believers are forgiven and made righteous in the eyes of God.
 
Heavenly Father, we thank you for Jesus who is our ultimate peace. God help us to solve for peace within our lives and look to you for guidance in what we can do in our situations.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy
                 

“Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.” (Acts 6:3)
 
Pick-up basketball games are always fun. When you start playing with the same people for a while you get to know them and what they are known for. One person might have a reputation for dunking, while another might have a reputation for fast footwork always stealing the ball away from the other team. We are known by the works that we do some people might not have a great reputation if they miss a lot of their shots, they might get a reputation for shooting airballs. Our reputation can even proceed us even before we meet someone new for the first time because of the people we know and even hang around.

A person with a good reputation is often sought after because they are known for their work and are trustworthy. One way we know how to do good work is by using wisdom. Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit but, wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. Through time and experience we gain wisdom we also can gain wisdom from asking the one person who knows all things God. We can ask God for wisdom in tough situations and when we are making difficult decisions. We can also seek out friends, pastors, and people we know who might be a little wiser than us to speak guidance into the situation.
 
Heavenly Father, grant us wisdom to see the best course of action and the courage to follow your direction. Guide us in making decisions and help us to follow your will in all things.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.” (Acts 5:4)
 
There are only a few things we can do with money we can give, spend, and save it. For many people spend is the most fun but, we often shy away from stating how much we spend on things and dislike the b word (budget) since it feels like a restriction. However, when we learn to budget our money, it gives us permission to spend our money and know where it is going. When we do not know where our money is going, we lie to ourselves about how much we spend on food, entertainment, and bills. The money slips away because we do not know exactly where it went.

The most joy we get with money is giving it away. Blessing others with money whether it is to a local charity, leaving an outrageous tip to a server, or even taking the time to bless a family with a gift. This fills the heart with joy since it furthers God’s kingdom and helps those in need. When we give money away, we must guard our hearts from pride because we might want to say we gave more money away than we did to seem impressive. When we lie to people, we are not lying to people but, to God. The money already belonged to us, and we have the right to spend it how we feel is fitting.

​What we do with our money shows where our heart is at if we lie about how much we give our heart is filled with pride and does not love those around us. When we spend recklessly on alcohol and things that do not give life our hearts are missing love. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts up to generous giving and spending wisely.
 
Heavenly Father, may we spend the money you have given us to steward wisely, may you show us people we can bless with generosity.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
 
People sometimes say, “you are the company that you keep” and to “choose your friends wisely”. The people we spend time with play a vital role in our character development. Some people may be a great influence since they are encouragers and want to see their friends succeed while others might not be a great influence since they are bad apples always getting into trouble.  The bad apples are usually perceived as people who ditched school or did not get good grades while the good kids sat up front in class and got good grades.

Education is for some the American dream to get good grades in school later to further their education to college to be educated and trained in a profession. Boldness does not proceed from education it cannot be learned or taught but, comes from having courage to stand up and say what is right. Peter and John were uneducated and untrained fisherman they did not have fancy educations but, learned from the one that everything comes from Jesus. It showed not only how they spoke but, how they treated other people.  They saw people in need and did not turn them away but, had compassion on them and assisted them the best way they knew how.

​Boldness takes vulnerability and being brave. Courage the Cowardly Dog fears everything but, would step outside of his comfort zone and embrace the challenge that was in front of him. There is no perfect moment to start anything that we want or need to do but, the right time to start is now. Even when we fail at our goals, we can embrace it and shake it off and learn from our mistake. We can find out what are our strengths and abilities and focus on building those up. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be bold and step outside of our comfort zone, to believe in our abilities, and act.
                 
Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit that empowers us to be bold and brave sharing the gospel to those who do not know Jesus.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins
                 

““So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is God, you will not overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.” (Acts 5:38-39)
 
Some people have a five or a ten-year road map for their lives planning everything out where they are going to go to college, at what age they are going to get married, and even where they are going to be in their career. While others might not do a road map to figure out where they will be in the future, they might wait for doors of opportunities to happen to help them get to where they want to be in life. While others just wait on luck to get them where they want to be in life.

Still, many create plans even at work we might make plans who to talk too, what appointments to schedule throughout the day, and even what tasks are necessary that must get done that day. When we try and force things to happen often it can backfire on us and what we were expecting to happen becomes a disappointment and we fail at it. Even our energy, mental and physical well-being may suffer the consequences of trying to do something out of our own efforts.

However, there is hope for if we use wisdom and discernment and realize our own efforts versus God working within the plan then it will not be stopped God’s work will manifest and succeed on its own terms. We must have patience and trust in God’s plan even when we do not know the details, or it feels like we are taking steps one at a time in the dark. Sometimes we can resist God’s plan because it is not something we would want for ourselves a certain job, resources, and even getting assistance in areas that we are struggling. No matter how fast we want something to happen or even try and get somewhere else in life we must have patience and trust in God’s plan for our life.
 
Heavenly Father, may we trust in your plan for our lives, may we not resist you leading us through doors of opportunities.
 
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)
 
Today many people would prefer to be alone. Often you can find people going for a quick meal alone through a drive thru. Not having to worry about talking with someone while they are on their lunch break. With social media people do not have to worry about talking to strangers they can sit on a bench alone and feel connected. There is more of an emphasis of having me time and taking time to be alone. Time alone is not bad for we need to take the time to take care of ourselves and replenish our spirit. However, we are better together.

We were created for community. It is easy to want to do everything by yourself and be a lone wolf. Even young children at one point start saying, “I can do it by myself.” It’s even worse when they grow up to be teenagers and tell you to go away since “your so uncool.” Trying to disassociate with you and not claim belonging to you. It might be difficult when the people close to us no longer want to be around us but, we are made for community and to be with others.

​When we are with other people, we can find out what they need and how we can contribute to their life. It is when we are in community that we come to find wholeness. God created us for community for our inward self to be changed by the Holy Spirit and lead us to an outward change of helping those in need and building relationships. To build community we must find healthy things in common crochet, gardening, or even running. We need people who will cheer us on in life, people we can do life with, and spend time with contributing to society.
 
Heavenly Father, may you place people in our life that we can do community with and become better together.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
 
There are many ways we can define power. One way is observing power in how much money a person has and what they control. Another way is observing their position within a company if the person is CEO, they have the power to make various decisions within the company. Many have attempted at the 4-minute mile.

​To do a 4 – minute mile the person must be running at top speed the entire time. The person has powerful lungs. All these are different forms of power but, they all fade in a person’s life. The person who was CEO turns over leadership to another person, the rich person with money at one point will pass their money along in an inheritance, the person who once ran a 4- minute mile no longer can run that fast. There is one form of power that is promised to us and never fades.

Jesus promises us an even better power that enables us to do so much more and never leaves us. Power from the Holy Spirit it is a transformational power that changes us inward and outward not for our goodness but, as a witness to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit changes us from someone who was unkind to someone who is loving, jealous to celebrating friend’s accomplishments, selfish ambition to other focused.

The power of the Holy Spirit allows us to tell others about Jesus not only in our immediate area where we live but even further wherever we go. We can start small with telling friends, family, and even people we know about the saving power of believing in Jesus and when directed by the Holy Spirit even talk to people, we may not know librarians, clerks at stores, and even waiters. The power of the Holy Spirit is the best power that resides within us.
 
Holy Spirit, may you come and empower us to share the gospel of Jesus to those who have never heard of Jesus.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins