Category: Uncategorized

by Tammy
June 26, 2020

 My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. – Psalm 119:28 NKJV

So much has happened.  Is your soul melting from heaviness?  Have you cried more grief- filled tears than can be counted? (He collects everyone.)  Is your breath dripping, dropping, leaking a multitude of tears because you are downcast?   Are you full of sorrow from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head?  Has your grief no place to go, but to pour forth like a river down your cheeks.  Are you depressed?  Sad?  Are you pained in your mind?  You are not alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

The Psalmist felt the same and expressed it through his words.  He cried for help, “Strengthen me according to Your word.”  He knew where to find help.  He asked the Lord for strength.  The word strength here means:

• Arise from the bed
• Become powerful
• Erect from a fall
• Stand up
• Raise up
• Exist
• Go forth
• Persevere
• Endure

Your list of tragedies may be long.  By the world’s standards, you may have every reason to be depressed, except God!

 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalm 3:3 KJV

Whatever is taking your breath away and melting your soul…

I enCOURAGE you to cry out to God in your sadness, “Strengthen me according to your word!”  The word says in Joel 3:10, “Let the weak say ‘I am strong!’”   Cry out until your soul stops dripping and arise.

by Tammy Phillips
June 25, 2020

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! – 1 Chronicles 16:11 NKJV

Vacation? How about you?  I do!  We all need to get away.  I see hands raising everywhere joining mine.  Kris traveled a lot pre-COVID.  I teased and told him that when he took a long business trip, it was vacation time for me.   Actually, I called them “faith-cations.”  I would wake up and give my first Love, the Lord, my undivided attention.  I would turn off the noise of the world.  No responsibilities hung over me, just hanging out with the Holy Spirit.

According to Allina Health, vacations are important because:

• Simply planing a vacation boosts happiness up to eight weeks before the trip.
• Lowers stress levels, brain and body heal
• Lessens risk of heart disease
• Betters one’s outlook on life
• More motivation to achieve goals
• Increased focus
• Strengthens relationships
• Improve sleep quality

If vacations are this beneficial, how much more faith-cations?  Well, I have been retreating into 1 Chronicles 16:11 for a while now.  I thought it was a simple verse.  When I discussed the verse with Holy Spirit, he showed me that it was simple, but full of depth and meaning.  The first seek mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:11 is the Hebrew word, darash, implying:  to resort to, to tread to a place, go to a place, frequent a place, to search after, to look for an answer, to study, to follow, to practice.

Vacations are wonderful.  They are needed, but we, also, are encouraged to “resort to the LORD.”

Since the Lord is our destination, what does that mean?   The Lord, our Jehovah, is really spelled YHVH in Hebrew with no vowels.  It is unpronounceable.   When Moses asked God His name in Exodus 3:14, He said, “I am who I am, I was who I was, I will be who I will be.”   Jewish scholars say the Hebrew word, YHVH, the Lord’s name, is the sound of breathing in and out.  The name of our Creator is literally our very breath.  These letters are the root letters of the word “to be.” When we seek the Lord or resort to the Lord.  We seek “to be.”  We seek to simply exist.  Isn’t that exactly what we seek to do on vacation, just be?

In addition, we are  encouraged to seek his strength.  His strength is all that He is.  By definition it is His might, power, firmness, defense, refuge, splendor, majesty glory, and praise.  This leads us to the next part of the verse.  The second seek mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:11 is a different Hebrew word, baquash, meaning: to search, to touch, to feel, seek to find, choose, try to get, require, demand, desire. This implies relationship and closeness.

The LORD is our place of escape.  When I go on vacation, I research the place.  I want to see everything this there is to see.  I want to experience everything it has to offer. I want to taste the regional cuisine.  The Lord wants us to resort to Him and do the same.  He wants us to seek His face, His presence.  He needs us to search him out.  He wants us to touch and taste his very presence. He hopes that we will choose to “faith-cation” with Him continually.

I enCOURAGE you to vacation with the Lord.   He is your breath.  Resort to Him.  He will boost your happiness.  He will lower your stress levels. His presence brings healing to your brain and body.  Time spent with Him will lessen your risk of heart disease. He will provide you with strength, motivation and increased focus.  Time in His presence will bring peace into your life and improve sleep.  Turn off the noise from the news, the television, and social media.  Take a vacation with Him and just be.

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
June 23, 2020

The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. – Job 33:4 NKJV

Tired?   Breathless? Need to be revived?

Life punches us in the gut and attempts to take our very breath away.  Satan keeps on punching, trying to steal it.  We hear bad news. We feel bad.  Just when we think we have recovered from the last punch, here comes another one.  We need to realize the devil did not give us life, so it is not his to take.  We do not breathe on our own.  It is God who breathed life into us and God who keeps us breathing.  It is God who revives us.

Revive is the Hebrew word chayah, meaning to live, to keep alive, to quicken, to recover, to repair, to be made whole. The original idea of this word is that of breathing or to breathe.  Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines revive:   to return to life; to recover life; to be reanimated after depression; to recover from a state of neglect or depression; to raise from discouragement; to rouse; as, to revive the spirits or courage; to renew in the mind or memory;  to quicken.

If we want to breathe, if we wanted to be revived, if we want revival in our lives and in our nation, we should repeat the words of the Psalmist and say: “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, [And] revive me in Your way”. – Psalm 119:37 NKJV

What are we looking at?  Are we looking at the way of the world, including television, bad news, and social media?  We should run to the Lord and say. “Help me breathe and…”

• Revive me in Your way. (Psalm 119:37 NKJV)
• Revive me in Your righteousness. (Psalm 119:40 NKJV)
• Revive me according to Your word. (Psalm 119:54,107 NKJV)
• Revive me according to Your justice. (Psalm 119:149 NKJV)
• Revive me according to Your judgments. (Psalm 119:156 NKJV)
• Revive me according to Your lovingkindness. (Psalm 119:88,159 NKJV)

According to Psalm 138:7-

It is God and God alone who revives us.
It is His hand that saves us.

And, according to Isaiah 42:5-

It is God who created the heavens and stretched them out.
It is God who spread forth the earth and all that comes from it.
It is God who gives breath to the people on it.
It is God who gives spirit to those who walk on it:

I enCOURAGE you to breathe in Jesus and be revived.  May your prayer be:  Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. – Psalm 143:11 NKJV

by TammyPhillips
June 23, 2020

How sweet are Your words to my taste, [Sweeter] than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103 NKJV)

I like sweets way too much!
I like baklava which is drenched in honey syrup.
I like ooey-gooey cookies.
I like smooth, creamy, luscious, ice cream.
I really, really like key lime pie.
I like chocolate, anything.
I like peanut butter, everything.
Merge chocolate and peanut butter together and perfection is achieved.
I do not think I ever met a dessert that I did not like.
And, there is nothing like the taste of a moist, light and fluffy birthday cake with its buttery, vanilla layers, topped with old-fashioned whipped Crisco frosting piled to the sky.  My mouth is watering.  Breaking News:  God’s word is sweeter!   When you think you need a sugar fix, run to His word. 

My dear friend, Kristi Stephens, texted me Psalm 119:103 and the following:

“Through His word God is giving me something so much better than the sweetness of honey!  Why should I want to settle for something less, man- made sugar?  God is giving me something sweeter.”

If you are like me and trying to leave sugar in the rear view mirror…

I enCOURAGE you to reach for His word the next time those sweet confections start calling your name.  I promise that the sweet word of the Lord will satisfy your cravings.  More to be desired [are they, His final word] than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
June 22, 2020

The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:9 NASB

I wished I had kept up with how many hours our sons spent at ball practice or in the training room, sharpening their skills. Our boys have  invested untold hours of their lives.   Malcom Gladwell, in his book, the Outliers: The Story of Success, repeatedly speaks of the “10,000 Hour Rule.”   He claims that the key to being a successful, elite athlete is to correctly practice the skill for approximately, 10, 000 hours.  We have all heard, “practice makes perfect.”  Practice means to perform repeatedly or habitually.  Life is full of failures and missed opportunities.  Baseball is a game of failure.   Vince Lombardi said: “Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”  The only way to be more successful at ball, life, or just about anything is to practice.

Why practice?

• Practice programs how-to do-it the right way.
• Practice increases the chances of an automatic response.
• Practice helps us become better at what we are doing.
• Practice helps us become experts.
• Practice helps keep us in shape.
• Practice improves weakness.
• Practice strengthens.
• Practice prepares.
• Practice develops.
• Practice teaches.

If a player does not practice ball, he will not improve nor succeed.  If we do not practice the precepts of God, we will miss out on the blessings of God.  Also, we will not transform into who we are meant to be, the image of Christ to others.

As Christians, we are to imitate Christ.  We are instructed to practice:

• Righteousness at all times (Psalm 106:3 NASB)
• Justice and righteousness (Ezra 45:9 NASB)
• Kindness and compassion each to his brother (Zechariah 7:9 NASB)
• Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22 NKJV)
• Gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:23 NKJV)
• Forgiveness (Matthew 18:22)

I enCOURAGE you to practice following in the very footsteps of Jesus.  Only do what the Father does and only say what the Father says (John 5:19).   Practice will prepare you for the game of life.  Practice will perfect you.  Practicing God’s word transforms you into the image of Christ, Perfection.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. [1 John 3:10 NASB]

By Tammy Phillips
Contributions by:  Kris, Brayden and Parker Phillips
Father’s Day June 21,2020

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 ESV

Our family maxim is simple.  Phillips NEVER quit.  Quitting is not an option. It does not exist in our vocabulary.  I am not sure when this became our family hashtag.  It was long before the pound sign was a symbol for a hash tag.  Kris led the way.  He instilled this precept in all of us.

I asked Kris, Brayden and Parker to remember one time when they wanted to “give up,” but instead remembered our motto.  Their answers surprised me.  I had my own recollections. I think of a long list where each of them persevered and endured, when it would have been much easier to quit.

Kris is an exercise beast.  He plays tennis, runs and works out hard.  It is how he deals with life, stress and eats whatever he wants.  As long as I have known him, he has been a runner.  Have you seen those calves?  Nobody has better legs than my husband!  He not only runs, but he races for the fun of it.  He has run the St. Jude Half Marathon, the last 3 out of 4 years.  His work responsibilities hindered him last year.  In 2018, the race was delayed for two hours because of a storm and it was a hot December day.  Kris recalled reaching mile marker 10.  He cramped up and had to walk.  He first thought he was done, but then remembered, #phillipsNEVER quit. He completed the race by running through the finish line. (As I write this, he chose to run in 90-degree weather, to and from a 45-minute workout.)

Brayden, our oldest son, has endured!!  I wish I could tell you every single time he has overcome, but I am writing an encouragement and not a book of tears.  The time he recalled is funny to me because I never even knew it was a struggle for hiim.  That’s Brayden!  He has an unbelievably high tolerance for physical and emotional pain. In high school, he sought the trainer after a football game for a hurt wrist.  The trainer was unavailable and Bray did not want to go to the doctor.  They taped up his wrists for practice and the remaining playoff games.  He played through the pain.  After the season, we learned it had been broken.  #phillipsNEVERquit.

Brayden is also the most driven man I know.  He was picked 1 out of 500 applicants for a football internship withCreative Artists Agency.  When the internship ended, he patiently waited one and a half months for his job to materialize.  Unknown to us, he said he became discouraged. If the job had not worked out, he was unsure what he was going to do with his life.  He had always known his next step.  However, he had put all his eggs in one basket.  He chose not to grow weary, nor faint.  He persevered and attained his dream job because #phillipsNEVERquit. (Last year, he questioned, “I do not know why I have been so blessed?”  I said, “The favor of God and you work really hard!”)

Parker, our youngest son, surprised me with his response!  His recollection was an 1,125-word text which moved me to tears.  His experiences are different, but he could write a book, too.  Parker is a “State Championship, Division 1 All-American, drafted by the Minnesota Twins,” baseball player.  Like my husband and oldest son, he has had a lot of success in his career, but it has not been an easy road.  Parker said: “I think about #phillipsNEVERquit every day.  It was in my back pocket all throughout college.  Playing college baseball was a lot of fun.  Do not get me wrong!  There’s a lot of stuff people do not see that goes on behind closed doors that is not so fun.”

His freshmen season was disastrous.  He started out great.  He volunteered to catch in attempt to make his way onto a field of very talented players.  His first scrimmage, he broke his toe.  Doctors told him he could do everything but squat.  Catcher’s squat.  #phillipsNEVERquit.  The very next week, he overcompensated for the toe and badly tore his hamstring.  It almost required surgery.  Parker said, “I had worked hard my whole life to get to this point.  I was barely able to stand on two feet.  It was a time that this Phillips was ready to quit, but I remembered…#phillipsNEVERquit.”  He rehabbed about one month.  The very day he was released, he took infield practice and fractured his left foot.  He could only laugh and repeat, “#phillipsNEVERquit.”  He accepted his career as a player was paused.  He took on the role of encourager and water boy.  He did not grow weary of doing good.  The next season, 2017, he became an All-American catcher.  He didn’t catch in the 2018 season, but hit a lot of home runs and was invited to the NCAA Collegiate Home Run Derby.  In his final season, he led the NCAA with the most home runs in the nation (25), only behind Vanderbilt’s J.J. Bleday (27).  He broke the single season and all-time home run record at APSU because #phillipsNEVERquit.  (Parker knows he is nothing without God and can do all things through Him.)

Most importantly, Jesus never quit.  In Mathew 26, the night before Jesus went to the cross, he said, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” And He asked the Father, if there was any other way, yet He did not quit!  He endured.  Our Father God never quits on us.

[It is of] the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. – Lamentations 3:22 KJV

Jesus said of Peter, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:” (Luke 22:32 KJV) If he prayed for Peter not to fail, don’t you think he prays the same for you?  God is love and Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8 KJV)

 For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT)

 God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.  I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down, relax My hold on you! Assuredly not! (Hebrew 13:5 AMPC)

I enCOURAGE you to NEVER QUIT.  All this time, Kris was teaching us to follow Jesus and His example. #NEVERquit.  All your life, Jesus has prayed for you.  Do not give up on yourself or your life. Know that you CAN DO ALL things through Christ who gives you the strength. (#phillipsNEVERquit)

by Tammy Phillips
June 20, 2020

How many times have you heard, “Cast your cares?”  God knows that the cares of this world are too much for us.  We are not built to shoulder anxieties, worries or fear.

THREE WAYS TO THROW A BALL or “CARE” BACK:

1. CASTING FAST AND THROW BACK IMMEDIATELY

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you [watchfully]. (1 Peter 5:7 AMPC)

“Casting” means to fling with sudden motion without thought.  Following is this baseball mom’s idea of “casting.”  The opposing team has a player on first base, trying to steal to second.  The pitcher and the catcher try to prevent the enemy from advancing.  When the ball is thrown to the batter, the catcher does not “take” the ball into the glove.  He releases it, as soon as he receives it, getting it back to the pitcher as fast as possible.  Or, if the opposition tries to advance, a good catcher pops ups and casts the ball in the necessary direction within 1.3 to 2 seconds. Pop time equals the time a pitch hits the glove to the moment it strike the glove of second baseman.

In life, we are not meant to catch nor take the care.  It is best for us, if we pop up and immediately throw it back to God.

2. CATCH AND THROW BACK QUICKLY

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). (Psalm 55:22 KJV)

Cast, here, means to make a deliberate decision to throw.  Like baseball, sometimes in life we cannot immediately fling it, all we can do is just throw the “ball” back to the Pitcher as quickly as possible.  We are tempted and take the care into our life glove because it is heavy.  It is harder to throw back.  This time, we have to make a conscious effort to hurl it back to the Father.  He promises to sustain which means to hold, but also to hold up.  He catches the care, holds us up, helps us bear it and provides an escape route.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God [is] faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear [it]. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)

3. CATCH AND GET IT BACK TO THE PITCHER HOWEVER POSSIBLE

Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.  Psalm 37:5 KJV

Like a catcher in baseball, frequently, we are thrown curve balls in life.  The care is too hard to handle. It flies right by the glove and can cause havoc on the field of life.  Sometimes, we are not prepared to deal with the care that is thrown; we just drop the ball.  Often, we take the care into our glove and fool around with it, and then throw it back.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ( 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 NKJV)

We all have our “thorn,” the thing which is hard to handle, the thing which wears us out and humbles us.  The word says in Psalm 37 to “commit” our way to the Lord.  Commit doesn’t mean throw; it means roll.  If we cannot toss our care immediately or throw it back quickly, His word tells us to just roll it on Him.

I enCOURAGE you to cast, hurl or roll your cares on the LORD. He cares for you. He wants to carry it for you.  He wants to take care of you, but you have to throw it to Him in this game of life.  He does not miss, nor fail.

by Tammy Phillips
June 19, 2020

All His precepts [are} sure. They stand fast forever and ever…Psalm 111:7 & 8 NKJV

Precepts are like the maxims of Christian life.  They are the “take-aways” from God’s word on how to live a Godly life.  Precepts are directions on moral conduct that regulate our thoughts and behaviors.  They are prescriptions on how to live right.  They are guiding principles rather than legal restrictions.  Precepts are appointments of God, practical rules, where the inner man is directed and is responsible for choosing the right way.

The Hebrew word for “sure” in Psalms 111:7 is ‘aman.  The list below provides its extensive meaning and insight:

All His precepts:

• Prop Up
• Sustain
• Support
• Establish
• Build Up
• Uphold
• Make Unshakable

All His precepts are:

• Faithful
• Stable
• True
• Trustworthy
• Verified

My favorite interpretation of the word sure is “to carry like a child.”   So, all of His very thoughts and words carry us through life, as we take hold of His hand.  ‘Aman also means:  to take the right hand; to turn right; choose to the right; go to the right.
The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad; (Psalm 19:8 CSB)

• His precepts lead us to His right hand.
• His precepts turn us right.
• His precepts help us go right.
• His precepts lead us the right way.
• His precepts help us choose the right way.
• His precepts direct us in His righteousness.

Let Your hand become my help, For I have chosen Your precepts. – Psalm 119:173 NKJV

The LORD’S precepts are believable.  They can be built upon and leaned upon. As we trust and do, His word, His precepts guide us through life.  Ultimately, they lead us directly to him.

The Psalmist in 119 says of the LORD’s PRECEPTS:

KEEP DILIGENTLY: 
You have commanded [us] to keep Your precepts diligently. (Psalm 119:4 NKJV)

MEDITATE:  
Meditate on Your precepts and contemplate Your ways. (Psalm 119:15 NKJV)

UNDERSTAND:
Make me understand the way of Your precepts;

LONG FOR: 
Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness. (Psalm 119:40 NKJV)

SEEK:       
And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. (Psalm 119:45 NKJV)

DO NOT FORSAKE:        
They almost made an end of me on earth, But I did not forsake Your precepts. (Psalm 119:87 NKJV)

SOUGHT & SAVED BY: 
I [am] Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. (Psalm 119:94 NKJV)

KEEP:    
Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. (Psalm 119:134 NKJV)

GET UNDERSTANDING: 
Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:104 NKJV)

DO NOT STRAY: 
The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. (Psalm 119:110 NKJV)

LOVE: 
Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. (Psalm 119:159 NKJV)

I enCOURAGE you in ALL of His precepts.  They are sure and last forever. You can count on His Word.  May each appointment of the Lord build you up and sustain you.  May they carry you through life as you hold tightly to His right hand.  They all hang on Love.

I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life. – Psalm 119:93 NKJV

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
July 18, 2020

So, God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27 NKJV

One of my greatest joys is going to the beach and collecting seashells.  Every shore that I have travelled to around the world offers different shells.  I was amazed by God when we traveled to the Polynesian Islands.  One atoll was not a mile wide.  It could easily be traversed from side to side.  Not only did that island have different shells than the other islands, each side of the island offered different treasures.

Why does shelling bring me such joy? I have thought about this for days now.

Shells are perfect architecture created by God.
Shells are different sizes.
Shells are different shapes.
Shells are different colors.
Every shell is special.
Every shell is different.
Every shell is fragile.
Every shell is beautiful.
Every shell is unique.
Each shell is like a precious jewel.
Every shell is a treasure to me.

When I am blessed to visit the beach, I want to take all the shells home with me. They just bring me great joy.

Why in the world would I ever place more value on a shell than a human life?

I do not do it consciously.  However, If I walk by your human shell that is sick or hurting, I have done just that.  If you are not the right size, shape or color and I cast you off as broken or worthless, I have done just that.  If I speak unkindly to you, am I valuing you?  If I ignore you and pass by your pain, have I not devalued you as less than the shell that I have stopped and taken care of as treasured creation of God?

Why can’t we, as a whole, recognize and value every human as perfected architecture created by God?  Yes, we all have little imperfections caused by life.  We all have made wrong choices.  We have all sinned.  Why do we so easily judge the human shell: the size, the shape, the color, the imperfections and the flaws?  Why do we not choose to extend the grace so freely given to us as Christians?  Why can we not appreciate the soft bodied being that is hidden inside and created in the image of God?

We will shed our human shell.  It will die, our spirits will not.  Isn’t it time to stop and take time to look at what is on this inside of the shell?  We need to slow down and treasure each human.  We need to see each person as God sees them.

Every shell has been on a journey and every shell has a story to tell.

I enCOURAGE you to love, appreciate and treasure every human shell that you come in contact with.  Take time to stop and listen.  This will not be easy.   We do not like the interruptions. (Jesus didn’t mind them.)  This is going to be an intentional, on purpose, disciplined action.

P.S.  Remember, love what is inside your shell while you are at it.  You are worth it.

by Tammy Phillips
June 16, 2020

So, God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind…. And God saw that [it was] good. – Genesis 1:21 NKJV

I really, really like seashells.  I like collecting all kinds of shells.  I enjoy finding perfectly formed teeny, tiny shells and I delight in the great beauty of spiral shells, whether conch or whelk.  They are so intricately formed.  Shells are perfect architecture created by God.  I can see why God saw the goodness in His creation.

I was relaxing on our deck where we have a collection of whelk shells that Kris and I picked up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  I was studying one old, weathered shell.  I noticed that it was formed layer upon layer, and step by step.  I thought to myself, “This must take forever to build.”  After a Google search, I found out that a mature whelk shell is formed in only about 5 years!  They drink in salt and chemicals from the sea, such as calcium and carbonate and mix it with proteins from their body to form their shells.  They must be laser focused… eat, reproduce, and build.  I guess they don’t get as easily deterred as we do, well, besides trying to survive from enemy predators and the huge storms that often accost them in the seas.  Their elaborate shells become their homes and a place of protection.  As the whelk matures, it makes space for its growing body by gradually enlarging and extending their shells by adding new, spiraling layers.

Isn’t that the way we grow, step by step, layer upon layer, precept upon precept?  We take in God’s word like the whelks takes in calcium carbonate.  His word builds up our faith.

“So, then faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. – Romans 10:17 NKJV

Then like the whelk, we put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, our predator. (Ephesians 6:11).

And, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16 NKJV)

We build our invisible shells by hearing the word and putting on the full armor of God, including the shield of faith.  The more we absorb from the Living Water, the stronger we grow.  And just like the whelk, each new layer in Him is a step up, bringing us closer to maturity in Him.   Each step of faith we take thickens our shell, protecting us from the storms of life and from our enemy whose mission is to destroy us.  Each new layer of faith in us creates the spiral that is our life.

I enCOURAGE you to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:14).  I enCOURAGE you to spiral up.  Take in God’s word however possible and obey it.  Keep taking steps forward in Christ, Word upon Word and precept upon precept.

The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. – Psalm 37:23 KJV