Just Praise

Less distraction, no judgment, freedom to move. That is why I choose to sit on the front row. Because let’s face it, we all have our own way to worship the lord. Mine includes a need to dance and move so I like having space and the ability to tune things out. If I sit in the back I’m distracted by what other people are doing and find it hard to concentrate on just praising God.

I’ve mentioned before in a post called “Twirling Dancer” that I used to dance in church as a little girl. What I didn’t get into is that as a teenager I could barely raise my hands in worship. Why? Because I was embarrassed and felt like I was being judged by my friends. I didn’t want their opinion of me to change, so I changed myself to fit in with them. 

In John 12:1-7, we come across a story where Jesus visited the family of Lazarus, not long after Lazarus had been raised from the dead. 

“Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.” 

(John 12:2-3)

Each one of the siblings was honoring Jesus in their own way. I will even say they were praising him. Of course Mary’s praise was probably the strangest to both us and the people around her. It was normal to wash a visitor's feet with water, but insane to use expensive perfume, worth a year's income, and your own hair. But she didn’t care. Mary had her eyes on her Lord and savior and didn’t let the opinions of the disciples, her siblings, or anyone else deter her. She humbled herself and simply worshiped. 

My prayer is that you will be encouraged by Mary’s example and be daring in your praise and worship like her. I was reminded of Mary while singing in church on Sunday, “I just want to kneel here at your feet” (“Nothing Else” by Cody Carnes). Can you be daring and humble yourself before the Lord for his sake? Do something different this coming Sunday or in your own worship time during the week: dance, kneel, sway, raise your arms to the lord. Just praise HIM. 

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Darya Ogurtsova on Unsplash

Wisdom \\ Sheila Dorris

This world is really tough. It's hard to make it throughout the day without hearing of a tragedy. If you  stop and think though, the Bible talks about tragedy all the time: murder, fraud, slavery, adultery, and all that in just one story concerning the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Abraham. There are plagues, famines, floods, wars, and all kinds of other hardships in the Bible, I mean they had it rough…not to mention no indoor plumbing! 

I have always wondered if I would make the right choices if I was put to the test and had to make hard decisions. Like Moses’ mother, knowing he would be killed if she kept him, sending her baby floating down the Nile. A baby? I don't know if I could trust that everything would be alright. She also trusted that Pharaoh’s Daughter would find him and take him as her own. That’s also pretty iffy.  

The women that are noted in the Bible were put into such messes! What I am thankful for is that in this  literary document, it INCLUDED women in it at all! Study them! If they are in the Bible it is for a good  reason. Remember women weren't worth anything back then. So to be mentioned, is a HUGE moment. 

I think about this story and how I may have reacted. 

1 Kings 3:16–28 recounts that two mothers, who lived in the same house and each had an infant son, came to Solomon. One of the babies had been smothered  and each claimed the remaining boy as her own. Calling for a sword, Solomon declared his judgment: the baby would be cut in two, each  woman to receive half.

“Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”’ (1 Kings 3:24-25)

In this moment of wisdom King Solomon knew that the real birth mother would not allow her child to die. Where the other mother claiming to be the mom would not care. 

“The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!” Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”’

Whoa! That was a huge risk she just took. She could have been killed for speaking against the king’s decree and the baby would have gone with the other woman.  

When he said he would cut the baby in half, I probably would have been thrown in prison! ARE YOU CRAZY?! “Cut the baby in half” how does THAT solve anything?! 

Not understanding his wisdom at this moment, as we sometimes don't. All she knew was she had to protect her baby even if it meant the other woman would raise him.

Look at the women in the Bible that are used. They are not boring. They are daring! 

Stand up and become daring! Invite someone to church, ask if you can pray with them, go to House Church if you don't attend one. Our Lord is Mighty!  Therefore we should be Mighty in the Lord.  

Sheila Dorris is the adoptive mother of three (now) adult children and is now enjoying being an empty nester. Sheila shares co-ownership of Mojo Merchandise, in downtown Sand Springs, with her best friend. Sheila has served and continues to serve in many areas at Church that Matters. Including: House Church, KTM, Access, Guest Services, and on the production team as a Live Stream Host. Sheila is famous for her sermon notes, taken each week as a guide for others on Facebook. This often starts conversations between those who may have questions about church or may just need to hear the sermon. She loves being silly and making people smile. If you see her, stop her and say "Hello".

.Photo by Hu Chen on Unsplash

Persistence \\ Heather Dillingham

Have you ever noticed that God often likes and helps those who dare? Women (and men) in the Bible who were like, “Ya, that’s cool that this goes against all reason but, my God has me”.

I can’t tell you how many times I have read about Daniel in the lion's den to my daughter and just thought this is crazy! Or read about Ruth who dared to propose to a man. I couldn’t even tell my husband I liked him until he told me first!

But the women I want to talk about today were not only daring. They were persistently daring.

“The daughters of Zelophehad … came forward and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, “Our father died in the wilderness…Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
Numbers 27: 1-4
 

Woah woah woah! Do you mean they just walked up and demanded property? In a day and age where women WERE property? Yes and no.

In order to get to Moses in the first place, these five daughters had to first go through lesser courts, pleading their case and daring to demand what they thought was right.

Something else to know about their ask is that it’s not just a simple, “here is some land”. If they get this land, they have to cultivate it, work it, and protect it. They aren’t asking for an easy task. They want the work.

I wonder how many times one of them got nervous or scared and wanted to back out. I wonder how many times they contemplated quitting altogether, but they didn’t, and God blessed them for it:

“Moses brought their case before the Lord, and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.”
Numbers 27: 5-7

This short story in the Bible gives us a glimpse into daring acts that set things apart for a whole family. It goes against customs and norms, but God chose to honor and bless them for their daring. So, what are you daring for?

For me, I’m daring to put my trust in God as I work on side projects that I always thought I wasn’t good enough to do. To fail, mess up, and keep pushing. To do the work and choose to be persistently daring.

Are you ready to be persistently daring? Are you brave enough to do the work and face the courts as Zelophehad’s daughters did? Are you brave enough to go to God?

I pray that each of you makes time today to just listen to God. To what He has called you to be daring for! I pray that He renews you with strength and continues to help you push and be like these five daring women.

Heather is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a believer, a wife, and a mother to a wonderful (and sometimes crazy) toddler. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. She can usually be taking care of the home and playing on the floor with her daughter.

Photo by John Thomas on Unsplash

Saying “No”

Saying “no” is a terribly difficult task for me. I do everything in my power to say yes whether that be to other people or myself. However, in not saying “no” I might be doing more damage than good.

Three areas to practice saying “no”:

Entertainment

I love books, movies, tv shows, and music. It is my dream to become an author and write YA fantasy/science fiction novels. Because of that I enjoy consuming all kinds of media. Which can be dangerous if I’m not vigilant. In Philippians 4:8 it says,

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

There are times when the topics of the media I consume do not coincide with what is said in this verse. Now I can easily say no to watching or reading anything in the horror genre. But ask me to see a superhero movie and I’m racing you to the theater. Even if there’s an underlying theme that goes against my beliefs as a Christian: such as witchcraft or gods from other religions I have a hard time saying “no” unless it’s super obviously bad.

For example, I enjoyed watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) when I was growing up (secretly of course because my parents didn’t think it was appropriate) and when the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018) came out I thought it would be similar. But it certainly was chilling, and I had to stop it 20 minutes into the first episode.

Why is it I can say no to something blatantly satanic, but I can swallow the comedic candy colored varnished version of the same base material without an issue?

Social Engagements

The fear-of-missing-out is a real feeling, even for a homebody like me. I deeply miss my friends and miss the days where they were right next door, or you could spend hours on the phone with them. As an adult you don’t get to spend as much time with your friends. You end up only getting a few hours at church or an evening or two a month. Which means it feels horrible when you need to say no to an invitation.

But I think we should give grace to each other. There are going to be times when saying “yes” to one more invitation creates an exhaustion that is bone deep. While being with friends is important it is equally important to create margin for rest and refreshment.

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.”
Deuteronomy 5:12-14

Serving

Since I was 8 years old I have been serving in church. It started with the offering bucket in children’s church and has now bloomed into serving on several different teams, including Shaken & Stirred. It used to be that there were only a couple of places you could serve in: children’s ministry, youth, and (if you could sing) the worship team. But now there are so many other opportunities inside and outside the church that one can get lost in it. However, serving in the church should not become an identity. It should be a natural result of loving Jesus but never your actual identity.

I can easily say “yes”, to serving when I should be saying “no”. I’m a regular Martha when it comes to these things. I get so caught up in the task that I forget the point of it all,

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left m e to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”’
Luke 10:40-42

Jesus loves our faithfulness to serve him and the church, but we must make sure that in doing so we don’t lose the point: Jesus himself.

When we say “no” it creates the margin we need to connect with God and serve with a full spirit instead of a drained one. When you serve, make sure it is for the right reasons, your “no” may open the way for the right person to take that open spot.

…

In writing this I am not asking you to say “no” to a friends request to hang out, or from watching the latest marvel tv show, or even from a request to serve on the xyz team at church. I’m asking you all to be daring and say “no” to give yourself margin in your life.

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Grace, Gentleness, and Courage // Mary Swafford

If you attended a worship encounter this Sunday at Church That Matters or watched online, then you know that our very own Amanda Hall preached a message about Martyrs.  One of the definitions of a martyr is:  a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principal.

Can you think of a time when you sacrificed something of great value for a greater good?  

I’ve been pondering this question today and trying to think if there has been a time when I truly had to sacrifice for someone or something else.  

When I was 10, I took the blame for something my friend did because I didn’t want my parents to be mad at her.  When my brother and I would get in a fight and he would hit me, I would hide under my bed crying until it didn’t hurt anymore because I didn’t want him to get in trouble.  

As an adult, I’ve left a job or two because I disagreed with the culture of the company.  I’ve lost friends because they asked my opinion but didn’t really want it and I’ve given up things that I love for people I love more.   

I would gladly and willingly lay down my life for my family, friends or neighbors.  I believe I would feel just as strongly about this if I ever found myself in a position to need to give my life as a sacrifice, but I’ve never had to approach a situation or person at the risk of my own life.

In 1 Samuel 25, we read about a “sensible and beautiful woman” named Abigail.  She is married to a man named Nabal, who is “crude and mean in all his dealings.”

Nabal is approached by one of King David’s messengers for a favor.  The messenger reminds Nabal of the protection and care the king and his men provided for Nabal’s shepherds and asks if he will share his bread, water, and meat with the king and his men.  Unfortunately, the king’s generosity and kindness is met with disdain and Nabal not only refuses to share, but also insults the king.

King David is infuriated and his response is to order his men to “get your swords!”  Realizing that the king and his 400 men were on the way to murder and carry out vengeance on Nabal and his household, one of Nabal’s servants goes to Abigail to tell her everything that has happened and to plead with her to “figure out what to do”.

Abigail put everything on the line to save Nabal's men. She prepared food and rode out to meet David and his four hundred men (v.18). When she met them she fell down before David and said "On me alone, my lord, be the guilt" (v.24). She stepped in at great cost and risk to herself. No doubt this surprised David as the most unlikely person offered herself up for the men he intended to destroy.

Abigail offers herself a humble sacrifice for an offense she didn’t commit in an effort to save the lives of many.  

“On me alone, my lord, be the guilt.”

It is hard to miss the picture of the Gospel in this story…

“Father, forgive them.  For they know not what they do.”

Romans 5:8 reminds us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He entered into our desperate situation, at great cost to himself. He brought glory to God by bearing the wrath our sins deserved. Now we can be ministers of reconciliation, step into difficult situations, and seek to bring about good.

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Oliver Pacas on Unsplash

A Choice Between // Mary Swafford

DARING – to be DARING is to be bold, adventurous and a little nervy.  It’s a quality possessed by people who tend to take risks.  If someone says, “I dare you,” and you always do, you’re a daring person.  

If you are DARING, you dare to do things that are risky and even dangerous. A daring mountain climber may go to the top of Mt. Everest, and a daring policeman enters the scariest houses to catch a crook. In comics and movies, superheroes are daring. Even quitting your job to start your own business is daring.  The seafarers who first traveled across the globe were daring. DARING people are brave.

The bible gives us countless stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for the cause of Christ. Exodus chapter 1 gives us an account of 2 such daring women; Shiphrah and Puah. They were Hebrew midwives to the Israelite nation.

If you’re not familiar with the story, let me backup a bit. Because of God’s promise to Abraham, to bless him with descendants that would outnumber the stars in the sky, and Abraham’s faithfulness, the Israelites multiplied so greatly that they became powerful and filled the land of Egypt. The Egyptian’s grew to fear the Israelites because of their strength and numbers and made them their slaves. Despite Pharaoh’s efforts to oppress the Israelites, they continued to multiply and spread. The harder the Egyptians treated the Israelites, the more God seemed to bless them.

In a way, this part of the story reminds me of how the church continued to grow and spread the Gospel against all odds during the most oppressing times of the Covid scare. The more the world became fearful and restrictions were put in place to guarantee isolation and control, the more the church found ways to be present in the lives of God’s creation and provide for needs in tangible ways beyond tradition. The harder the world treated God’s people; the more God seemed to bless them.

Pharaoh’s attempts to keep the Israelites from prospering weren’t working to his satisfaction so he 

“gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah:  “when you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.  If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”’
Exodus 1:15-16

Boom.  

What better way to keep the Israelite nation from growing than to totally eradicate their ability to reproduce? But OUCH! Can you imagine the position this put Shiphrah and Puah in? 

The single most powerful man in the land has ordered you to kill all the Hebrew boys as they are born in an effort to wipe out a nation of your own people. The reason behind the order doesn’t really even matter. What matters are these women’s responses.

The women are at a crossroads. Ensure their own life and obey the orders given or betray Pharoah and allow the male babies to live, and therefore, risk their own life to give those babies theirs.

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroad? Stuck between a rock and a hard place? Neither option is particularly easy. To go left may guarantee your status, financial gain and security, but includes the secret weight of sin and shame. To go right guarantees honoring God with your words, actions and life, although you may lose it. One choice offers familiarity.  The other offers something unknown.

“But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders.  They allowed the boys to live too.” 
Exodus 1:17

Shiphrah and Puah feared God. They feared God more than they feared Pharaoh or anything he could do to them. They chose to be daring and honor God with their words, actions, and lives. Because they did; 

“God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful.  And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.” 
Exodus 1:20-21

Shiphrah and Puah dared to do something that was risky and even dangerous. God honored their devotion to Him and blessed them as well as the Israelite nation. God’s promise to Abraham continues in part because of their faithfulness. Not only were their lives changed, but their family for generations to come are a part of the family of God.

What crossroads are you at today in your life? How is God calling you to be DARING for Him?  

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Maria Ballesteros on Unsplash

Daring to Hope

My spare bedroom is a cluttered mess. Mostly because it has no purpose at the moment. When we first moved into our house it held unpacked boxes along with a spare queen size bed.  

Rachel, my little sister, moved in and out a couple of different times. The last time she ended up moving to California and we decided to get rid of the Queen bed. We had big plans to make the room into a “hangout” spot and bought a futon (because it can “become” a bed). We hooked up our Nintendo 64 and VCR to the TV and hung out in there for a couple of weeks. 

In 2020, around Easter, we kept 4 baby chicks in a storage tote, on a coffee table, in the spare room. It was very a dusty mess after that let me tell you (do not keep chickens in your house, just don’t. It took us a few months until they were big enough to move out and another month for me to clean that room up.  

There’s one item in that room that I haven’t even entertained the notion of changing. A white, three drawer, dresser. The kind with the little scalloped boarder on the sides and back, so you can put things on top without them falling off.  

We received this dresser from my sister-in-law in 2015 after Charles and I were married. She was done with it because her house was getting cluttered and she wanted to update the kids furniture. I thought it would make a great changing table. All you have to do is buy the little changing pad and set it on top… 

This year will mark our 7-year anniversary and the 5th year of our infertility journey.  

And to be truthful, we are starting to lose hope. There are many times that I’ve prayed for God to take away the yearning I feel whenever I see or hold a baby. To help me be content with my life as it is. And yet, I still dream about being a mom. And the wonderful gift there is in being called “mom”.  

I originally didn’t want to share this testimony because of the topic: “Daring to Hope”.  

Psalm 42:5-8NIV says,  

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? 
Why so disturbed within me?  
Put your hope in God,  
For I will yet praise him,  
My Savior and my God. 

My soul is downcast within me; 
Therefore I will remember you  
From the land of the Jordan,  
The heights of Hermon—from mount Mizar. 
Deep calls to deep  
In the roar of your waterfalls; 
All your waves and breakers 
Have swept over me. 

By day the Lord directs his love, 
at night his song is with me-- 
a prayer to the God of my life.” 

Like the Psalmist, we are in constant prayer and seeking God in our situation.  

We have wonderful friends and family who pray and have words of encouragement from God for us. But it is so painful to hope.    

To actively hope, is it put aside fears and disappointments. At the start of every new cycle I pray that this will be the time. I count out the months and imagine what it would be like to share good news with friends and family. I imagine what color I will paint the spare room and how weird it would be to not have it has a “shove it in and close the door” room. But then the day comes when I start my period: some months I can carry on just fine and others I'm a wreck.   

I personally feel that I must tell you all that I don’t have a profound revelation today for keeping grip of the hopes you all have. Since I’m still in my struggle the only advice I have today is “put your hope in God”. 

In Romans 5:3-5 it says,  

“…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, Character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” 

Hope comes from God, which can only mean to me that I should continue to hold onto it. And gain comfort from what the word says even when the world says we should give up.  

I’m not the woman who buys the kids clothes in the hopes that a little snuggly body will soon wear them. I haven’t painted the spare room or picked out a rocking chair. I’m the woman who has three drawers with odds and ends in them because it represents a hope that one day my prayers will be answered, and I can fill those drawers with baby things that will be used. 

But when it’s hard to hope on your own, be daring, and place your hope with God. 

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Tiago Bandeira on Unsplash

Consequences // Sheila Dorris

There may be someone in your life that you look up to and admire. They may have different qualities that you may like. Maybe they just seem to have their life somehow a little more together than yours. You strive to be like them, but something or someone may drag you down.

As we have learned in the previous weeks, Tamar has been through a lot of hardships. Marrying Er, who displeased God so much that God killed him. Yikes! Then being given in marriage to her selfish brother-in-law, Onan (who also angered God and died). According to custom Tamar needed to be given to Shelah once he had grown up. But Judah was hesitant. I mean, I kinda get that maybe he's thinking Tamar is just bad luck, or evil. 

Tamar, was upset that she was sent back to live with her father. It was not her fault her husbands had made God angry. So when Tamar learns that: 

1. Shelah had grown up 

2. Her father-in-law was in town 

3. Judah hadn’t sent for her 

Tamar becomes a little more DARING and disguises herself as a prostitute. She’s done waiting. 

Judah comes to her not knowing she is his 2 time daughter-in-law and wants um...well ya know…some hanky panky. If he had only known it was her he probably would have been worried for his own safety after what happened to two of his sons.  

Before they sleep together she wants to know what her payment will be in return. He offers her a goat, but she asks for a pledge in the meantime, something of his that would prove his identity (His staff and seal with the cord). Tamar was risking it all now. She was lying to her father-in-law about who she was, about to have sex with him, and demanding assurances ahead of time!

Once Judah was back home, he sent his servant with payment so that he could get his personal items back. But they could not find the prostitute. In fact, no one knew of a prostitute in that area. 

Then Judah received word: 

‘“Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”’
(Genesis 38:24)

Tamar was like, hold up a minute! Take a look at these personal belongings I have of my child's father. Do you recognize anything? Hmmmm? 

“Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.”
(Genesis 38:26)

In the end, Tamar was blessed with twin boys and now she had the protection she needed. In the end, she was given the number of children she had been promised. One child for each of her marriages.  

So in this situation no one was fully in the right. All parties took the situation and tried to fix it the only way they knew how: Judah was protecting his remaining son and Tamar just wanted the children she was promised. We all make mistakes like this and yet because of God’s grace through Jesus, we can become God's children. We are not always going to do things right, only Jesus was able to manage that feat. 

The person you look up to the most isn't going to do everything right. No matter how "together" they appear. They could be a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ but it doesn't matter in the end because they still mess up. We must look to God to take care of these situations. Lean in on him, and be DARING as you act on HIS commands.

Sheila Dorris is the adoptive mother of three (now) adult children and is now enjoying being an empty nester. Sheila shares co-ownership of Mojo Merchandise, in downtown Sand Springs, with her best friend. Sheila has served and continues to serve in many areas at Church that Matters. Including: House Church, KTM, Access, Guest Services, and on the production team as a Live Stream Host. Sheila is famous for her sermon notes, taken each week as a guide for others on Facebook. This often starts conversations between those who may have questions about church or may just need to hear the sermon. She loves being silly and making people smile. If you see her, stop her and say "Hello".

Photo by Adele Shafiee on Unsplash

The Grace of God // Mary Swafford

The story of Judah and Tamar is not pleasant.  Broken promises, deception, immorality and incest... but through it all we see the grace of God.  Sounds more like a soap opera or movie than the story of one of only 4 women mentioned by name in the lineage of Christ.

“God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were.  But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.”  Romans 5:20

We see this truth illustrated in Genesis 38.  In fact, the grace of God is magnified in this story.  

As we read in last week’s post by Heather Dillingham, Tamar had been waiting.  Waiting to receive the gift of motherhood.  Waiting for a third son to come of age and fulfill the promise of a child.  Waiting for the shame of her unfulfilled promise to no longer weigh on her.  Waiting for the guilt of losing 2 husbands before they could or would fulfill this promise.  Waiting to no longer be the outcast, downtrodden, dismayed or forgotten.  Waiting to find her purpose.

Scripture doesn’t tell us how long Tamar had been waiting.  Only that “some years” had passed and that “Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him.”  Tamar, no doubt felt forgotten and alone.  I’m sure she wondered, “how much longer must I wait”.  Constantly living in shame.  Visibly announcing with her widow’s clothing to the whole community that she has no husband and no seed to carry on the family of Judah.  

Alas, Tamar receives word that Judah is coming to town and Tamar decides to take things into her own hands.  To be the master of her destiny.  She is tired of the waiting and is taking control.  

In short, Tamar dresses like a prostitute in order to seduce Judah into having sex with her in hopes that she would become pregnant and find her purpose and receive her promise that is so long overdue.  It’s as if she was a rebellious me at age 16 daring Judah to continue to withhold his son from her.  She says “here, hold my veil!”  I’ll show you who’s in control of my future.

Tamar was clever and manipulating.  She was very calculating.  Even asking Judah, “what will you give me to guarantee you will pay me” for sex.  It’s like she knew that if she didn’t hold on to proof of his identity, there would be grave consequences.  Tamar thought of everything.  And just like sin often does, she got exactly what she wanted.  She became pregnant.

You’ll have to read next week’s blog to find out what happens next in the story.  What I’d like to focus on for the rest of mine is God’s grace.

Our sinfulness is never a surprise to God.  We live in a fallen world, and though we are far removed from Tamar and the ancient people of her story, we live in our own stories of disappointment, temptation, and hurt.  We bear deep scars from the consequences of actions and inaction.  And very often, we too give up on God’s promises and take things into our own hands trying to fulfill a promise that only God can do.

The good news?  Jesus loves us regardless of our dysfunctional, crazy mess.  He never loves us less, no matter how much we’ve screwed up, or the addictive past we claim or crimes we may carry.  The consequences of sin are painful, but Christ’s love remains pure.  We are forgiven and loved.

God loves us.  He created us.  He made a way to rescue us.  Tamar didn’t know the full significance of her life on earth, nor do we know ours.  But there is a purpose, nothing is wasted and everything will be made right when Jesus returns.

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Adele Shafiee on Unsplash

Waiting // Heather Dillingham

Recently I learned an old high-school friend is pregnant after trying for at least 10 years. They had done treatments, she had tried to work on stress, but nothing had worked.

She is the friend we all have who grew up loving children and even has a room already prepared in her house for a child that had yet to come. Despite all of this, she couldn’t seize God’s timing.

She couldn’t make God’s will bend to her own so she could have a child sooner. She had to do the painful task of waiting, wishing, and hoping. She had to be patient. I mean REALLY patient.

Something our subject today understands.

Tamar was supposed to have children. It was not only the promise and decree given to God’s people but the cultural norm and necessity of the day.

After the failure to have any with her first husband, who God destroyed because of his wickedness, she was given to her brother-in-law who was supposed to fulfill this promise to her.

Yet in Genesis 38: 9 you see that Onan (the new husband) did a pretty deceitful thing in order to keep her from getting pregnant.

Notice that at this moment, Tamar is doing what she is supposed to do. She is waiting and following directions and yet God’s promise is not happening. Counter to that, her new husband is actively going against God’s promise and trying to seize his own destiny.

Not surprisingly this gets him killed. Notice the first and second husband’s actions affected the length of time Tamar would have to wait to receive her promise.

Actions affect more than just you. Tamar did nothing that scripture tells us caused her waiting to increase yet the actions of her husbands and father-in-law did. We see that in the next part of the scripture.

Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.
Genesis 38: 11

Tamar was sent back to her family to wait and treated by her father-in-law like a plague. How she handles this, we will see later in scripture, but today we are focused on the acceptance and resilience she shows as she waits.

What we do in the waiting speaks about our character. We can try to seize it as Tamar’s husbands did, or we can choose to follow God’s timeline and not let the actions of others or the world stop us from believing in a promise.

Whether you are waiting for the promise of a child, like my friends and Tamar, or just waiting for clarity, learn to accept that God knows and plans for all things. He will not forget you in your waiting.

Heather is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a believer, a wife, and a mother to a wonderful (and sometimes crazy) one-year-old. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. She can usually be taking care of the home and playing on the floor with her daughter.

Photo by Adele Shafiee on Unsplash

Date Palm

Throughout the Bible we come across instances where parents were considering wives for their sons; if they were a part of Abraham's descendants they often warned their sons away from the women of Canaan. 

Abraham commanded his servant in Genesis 24:3,  

“Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son (Isaac) to marry one of these local Canaanite women.” 

Isaac commanded his second born son, Jacob: 

““Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.”
(Genesis 28:1-3)

But you know what’s funny? Isaac’s other son, Esau, married a Canaanite woman just to make his parents angry. I mean why not, Jacob had already stolen his birthright, why not snub his parents by marrying someone unsuitable. 

Why does any of this matter? Well the reason against marrying into the Canaanite tribe was fairly basic: they worshiped other gods. 

“Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)

There was another instance in Genesis 28 where a descendant of Abraham married a Canaanite. Judah (the great great Grandson of Abraham) married a Canaanite woman. The Bible doesn’t name her other than to say she was the daughter of a man named Shua. Judah’s wife gave him 3 sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. However, the Bible does say that Judah found his son Er a wife named Tamar, and that God saw that Er was wicked and the Lord killed him… 

You have to wonder how bad Er was for God to actually kill him outright. Unfortunately, Tamar wasn’t able to conceive a child before Er died and that left her in a strange limbo situation. Like most cultures, it was important to continue the family line. For the descendants of Abraham it was even more important because it was a sign that God was fulfilling his promise. When Er died I’m sure that Tamar despaired. Her purpose was to be a wife and a mother. Without a child her position was uncertain. But you know the irony to me is that Tamar is named after the Date Palm, a tree that grows in warm typically dry places. A palm that gives off fruit. She was named after a tree that literally signifies fertility! To me, her very name signifies what her future should hold: children.

Have you ever felt that God has promised you something? For me, I believe that I’ve been promised a family. Like many others in the world today, my husband and I are fighting against infertility. It’s a painful journey to take and only made bearable through prayer and the comfort of God’s word. I’ve spoken about it many times in the past 5 years since my husband was diagnosed with infertility. 

At this point in our journey, I feel a lot like Tamar must have: hopeless and resigned. She didn’t have options (the only option for her future we’ll cover in next week’s post) and right now it doesn’t feel like we have options. 

I want to encourage you though and say: that is a lie. 

Satan wants us to believe that there’s nothing we can do, but that’s not true. You can pray, you can take one more step in the direction God is calling you. Spend some time with God today and ask Him, “What is the promise that YOU want me to hold onto?”   

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Adele Shafiee on Unsplash

Best Movie Ever // Chelynn Broughton

Imagine that you just watched the best movie ever in a theater filled with people who laughed, cried, and cheered through it with you. You sat riveted in your seat for two hours getting to know the characters, enjoying the costumes, scenery, and music, feeling the emotions of the actors/actresses, and loving the plot line. As soon as it’s over, the house lights come up, and the credits start rolling across the screen. (Sometimes so quickly that it’s almost impossible to read them.) What do you do? Do you stay pinned to your chair watching the names of all the people who were important in making such an amazing film, or do you race out of the theater just like everyone else? After all, you don’t know those people, and it’s just a list of names with no meaning to you. I’m imagining the only people who actually care about the credits are the people who were involved in making the masterpiece you just witnessed. Those people would be upset that no one watched his/her name roll across the screen after all the time/energy he/she put into it. Wouldn’t you be?!

In Matthew 1:1-17, we see the credits for the best story ever told FIRST. Most Bible readers tend to skip these verses and jump ahead to the story part of the book. BUT, these people are important, and the author wants you to read this list and understand just where Jesus came from. This is His family tree, so to speak. If you’ve read these verses before, you probably missed seeing that Rahab (the prostitute) is in Jesus’ family line.

“Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse.”
‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT)‬‬

Not only did Jesus come to earth and become a man. He became a man who was a descendent of a prostitute! Do you think that was a mistake? Absolutely not. God wanted us to know that EVERYONE sins and falls short of His glory, but NO ONE can sin too much or sink too low that she can’t be forgiven.

If you keep reading these credits, you will see Bathsheba, the married woman who slept with King David and became pregnant with his child while her husband was away fighting. The list is full of imperfect people whose genes are combined to make a perfect man named Jesus.

If you have ever thought that your sins are too big and that God could never forgive you, then this family tree disproves those thoughts. You are a beloved daughter of Christ, and your father loves you no matter what you’ve done.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
‭‭(Romans‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

As the credits of your life roll across the screen, God sits and watches every last person’s name because each of us is important to Him, and you never know… someone in your family tree may change the lives of others dramatically. I’m sure Rahab never imagined that her family tree would be Bible worthy. Make sure you stay to the end of the credits in Matthew 1:16 because the greatest story EVER begins there:

“Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.”

(‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭NLT)

Chelynn is a contributing writer for Shaken and Stirred. She is a long-time daughter of Christ, a wife, mother of two amazing adult children, and Nonnie to four beautiful grandchildren. She teaches Senior English at Charles Page High School and is also a Realtor for Keller Williams. She enjoys all things summer including boating, vacationing, and swimming.

Fearing the Snow // by Heather Dillingham

I recently listened to a podcast about the different types of fear involved when talking about God.

The first fear is fear because you don’t believe, trust, or know Him. The second fear is like the fear of snow.

I don’t fear the snow. In fact, I love the snow. It makes me feel like a kid again. But, while I sit there sinking my hands into the powdery mix, feeling the bite of the cold as a smile spreads across my face, I also know that this snow has the power to kill me if not treated with respect.

So the question then becomes, which form of fear do you view God with?

Rahab had both.

Now, one big thing I want to mention is that although I will discuss one form of fear inside Rahab today, that is not the end of her story. But in our story today, we see a Rahab afraid as a foreigner to God.

“Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.”
Joshua 2: 8-9

“When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
Joshua 2:11

Notice that she says “has fallen on us” and “our hearts melted.” She was not exempt from the fear that was in the air, nor was she viewing it as a believer.

This is a flip from the norm of the women we have been studying. We have seen obedience, bravery, strength, and fear in the world, but not this type of fear in God.

Regardless of her fear, Rahab continues to push forward and follow through with her word. She protects the spies and then marks her window so her and her family will be protected. The beauty is that God used this fear of Him, to bring her to the right kind of fear of Him.

Spoiler, Rahab doesn’t end her story as a foreigner and in fear. She ends fearing God in reverence and in joy and is blessed by her sacrifices by being in Jesus’s lineage.

My encouragement for each of you ladies today is that just because you feel like an outsider now, just because you feel you are going through the motions of what is needed, doesn’t mean God doesn’t see you and doesn’t mean he hasn’t called you into His family.

We are all sacred to Him. So fear Him yes, but fear Him like I fear the snow. With the heart of a child, full of joy and reverence for the beauty to be seen.

Heather is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a believer, a wife, and a mother to a wonderful (and sometimes crazy) one-year-old. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. She can usually be taking care of the home and playing on the floor with her daughter.

Photo by Tamara Bellis on Unsplash

Paving The Way // Heather Dillingham

It’s Valentine’s Day, and in honor of today I wanted to write about love. I was prepared to weave a beautiful story about how Esther loved her people so much that it gave her strength, bravery, and boldness to step out and talk to the king. All of that is true, but that isn’t our part of the story today.

Our part of the story is about how Esther’s daring and bravery, and yes love, paved the way for more. 

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded
by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to
overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over
those who hated them.
(Esther 9:1)

The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men
and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of
the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request?
It will also be granted.”
(Esther 9:12)

You see, not only did Esther create a world where the Jews didn’t have to fear those who wanted their things, land, and lives, they were given the tools and permission to fight against their enemies. 

Now I could be wrong but I think the King got a little sassy when saying, ‘what happened in the rest of the king's provinces?’, but whether that was actual concern or sass, he followed it up with the same. Granting her more power and allowing her to do more for her people.

This ‘more,’  leads to another night of going against their enemies and eventually a two day celebration named Purim to be celebrated for generations. The ‘more’ also meant cementing leadership through Mordecai who proved that he had the best interest of his (and Esther’s) people. 

Through all this we get a glimpse of what Esther did, but what’s funny is in Esther Chapter 10, her closing saga, she doesn’t even get a word. It says the king and Mordecai’s actions were recorded in the book of the annals. Obviously we know Esther lives here, in God’s word, but elsewhere she was forgotten. 

But, man how true is that! Our good acts, our strength, boldness, bravery, sometimes doesn’t get recognized by anyone but God. Despite knowing that she probably was a backup character to her own story for those in the day, look at her and ask for more! Her bravery, daring and love meant that she carved the path that allowed others to walk the walk God set before them. 

Just like Esther, your name might not be what they write about in the annals, but it is ALWAYS written on God’s heart and his plan for the world. He created you to pave the way.

Heather is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a believer, a wife, and a mother to a wonderful (and sometimes crazy) one-year-old. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. She can usually be taking care of the home and playing on the floor with her daughter.

Photo by Max Nguyen on Unsplash

The Big Ask

Esther’s trip to see the King was just the first step she needed to take in search of favor. When her life was spared and the King asked what she wished for, Esther said that she just wanted to have the King and Haman the over for dinner.  

Sometimes that’s what our walk with God can look like. We can be brave enough to go before our Lord. But too scared to make our requests known to him right away. There’s a fear that if we ask the question, we will get the answer we don’t want. Esther probably wanted a little more time to come up with the right words and seeing her husband on his throne, surrounded by his advisors, was probably nerve wracking.  

It wasn’t until the dinner was underway that she made her request:  

“…and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” 

 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.  For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]” 
(Esther 7:2-4) 

Esther, humbly, breaks down what has happened and asks only that her people are spared death. Like any good husband the King is furious that anyone would dare do such a thing to his wife and when he learns of Haman’s involvement the King has him killed.  

Of course, there is more to this story because Haman’s decree had already been announced to all the provinces of the land. There was literally a law in place that said anyone could: kill, enslave, and steal from them. So, Esther again went to the King and asked him to spare her people and the King literally gives her his signet ring and says to write a new edict in the kings name:  

“The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.” 
(Esther 8:11) 

Esther was given so much favor in that moment and did she have to do? Pray and ask.  

Ladies, how often are we told to just ask? In church, there will be alter calls that ask us to come to the front if we are need. The last couple of times that opportunity has been offered I stayed in place. Stuck. Because I was afraid of the answer. I was afraid to be told “no” by God.  

Is there something you are afraid to ask God today? I encourage you, to be like Esther and make your big ask.      

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Velizar Ivanov on Unsplash

Do It Afraid //Mary Swafford

At the close of Esther 4, Esther calls the Jews to a three day fast.  No eating or drinking.  When this is done, she will go to the king, even if it means her death.

Fasting is a means of entrusting ourselves to the Lord.  When we fast, our mind, soul and spirit become more receptive to the Holy Spirit.  God says he will give wisdom to those who seek it.   Even though the book of Esther never once mentions God, he is all over these passages.  We can only imagine the significance of intimacy not only Esther experienced during those 3 days, but also the entire Jewish community.  

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20

Not only was Esther “gathered together” with her maids in the king’s palace, but the Jewish nation was fasting and praying together for the same cause!

On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace.  She got dressed for the occasion.  I imagine that she came out in front of the king much like Cinderella showed up at the Ball.  In her best royal dress, hair tied up perfectly and the sweet smell of perfume lingering about her.

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.  Truly I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  Matthew 6:16-18

Esther, clothed herself in more than just royal clothes.  She also had on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

The King sees Esther and extends the scepter – she steps forward and touches the tip, releasing her breath and lifting the curtain of tension that has hovered over the last three days.  Here we see a glimpse of God’s grace to us. 

The King encouraged Esther.

Let us be encouraged to pray always and to not faint.

Esther came to a proud and powerful man.

We come to the God of love and grace.

Esther was not called.

We are called.

Esther had a law against her.

We have a promise; Ask and it shall be given to you.

She had no one to go with her.

We have an Advocate with the Father, in whom he is well pleased.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.

“Esther replied, This is my request and deepest wish. . .” Esther 5:7

God give me a faith that dares to share with you my requests and deepest wishes.  Give me the courage to step out in your presence and the presence of my enemies and declare you Lord of my life even when I am afraid.

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Alexandru Zdrobău on Unsplash

If I Perish // Sheila Dorris

“It all started when the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.”
Esther 3:2

Esther’s Uncle Mordecai would not bow to Haman (a King’s official) and this infuriated the man. How dare anyone, let alone a Jew, snub him in such a way. Haman devised a plan to have all of the Jews be killed because of Mordecai’s slight.   

When Mordecai learned of this he reached out to Esther urging her to talk to the King to save the Jews.  Esther reminded Mordecai, the only way to speak to the King was to be called upon. If you were to even approach the King without being called upon it was certain death.   

Mordecai reminded Esther this position may be exactly why she was made to be Queen. Not to turn her back on her family, her people.

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther 4:15-‬16 NIV

Esther was DARING in this action. For she had not been called on by the King in 30 days. Even if the King had seen her, he had to point his golden scepter toward her in order to speak. The odds were against her. But if she did not try her people would be slaughtered. Through her uncle Mordecai she called her people to FAST. To get right with God, to be granted favor, to pray that the King would be receptive since she, Esther, was obedient.

She was willing to risk her life for her people, and the only preparation she had was not eating or drinking for 3 days and praying. And yet nowhere do we see God replying to Esther’s prayer. The FAITH that it took to be able to risk everything, relying only on the promises of God passed down through the generations. That is truly amazing. 

Do you feel like Esther at times? Like your prayers have gone out into a void but you don’t know if they have been heard or will be answered? I bet you can think of many examples, but I bet if you look back on your prayers you will see where God was guiding you. Like Esther, we have to have a faith that we are willing to die for. 

As Christians we have one advantage that Esther did not. We have the honor of having the Holy Spirit live within us and helping to guide us in the direction that God wants us to go. I encourage you all, to start pursuing what has been put on your heart, start pursuing what you have fasted and prayed over and listen to the Holy Spirit’s nudges. Have a DARING faith like Esther. 

Sheila Dorris is the adoptive mother of three (now) adult children and is now enjoying being an empty nester. Sheila shares co-ownership of Mojo Merchandise, in downtown Sand Springs, with her best friend. Sheila has served and continues to serve in many areas at Church that Matters. Including: House Church, KTM, Access, Guest Services, and on the production team as a Live Stream Host. Sheila is famous for her sermon notes, taken each week as a guide for others on Facebook. This often starts conversations between those who may have questions about church or may just need to hear the sermon. She loves being silly and making people smile. If you see her, stop her and say "Hello".

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Hadassah

“This is what happened during the time of Xerxes[…]”
Esther 1:1

Hadassah, that’s my name. It means “myrtle tree” and represents love and a promise. My name was given to me by my mother and father. They wanted to remind me of where I came from and the promise that God gave us that we would return, one day, to our homeland. But for now, call me Esther, because I was born in the land of Persia and through God’s favor, I was made Queen of this land.

Esther never asked to be Queen. She was a girl whose circumstances were completely out of her control. As a Jewish orphan being raised by her Uncle Mordecai, her life was probably simple. Most likely she was learning about caring for a house and preparing for her life once she was engaged and married. Along with everyone else in the kingdom she probably talked about what happened to Queen Vashti and wondered who the new Queen would be. But then there was a decree:

“But after Xerxes’ anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made. So his personal attendants suggested, “Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.” This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.”
Esther 2:1-4

Esther, along with other beautiful girls, was kidnapped and forced into the king’s Harem. She should have disappeared into that Harem but through God’s favor and her Uncle’s warnings to keep her nationality a secret, she instead was CHOSEN by the king,

“Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.”
Esther 2:16-17

Now if this was a movie, that’s where this story would end. A beautiful, exiled, orphan becomes a queen and gains the love of a King. This is what dreams are made of right? But that’s not the end of the story.

Today I want you to think about the kind of bravery and faith that Esther had to practice every day while living in the palace. The fear of discovery must have been a constant thought in her mind. I bet you, her constant comfort was probably her prayer life. Have faith in the direction you feel God pulling you. It might feel terrifying, but God is walking in step with you the whole way. He only asks that you have faith in him.  

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Valerie Elash on Unsplash

Audaciously Bold

What does it mean to be daring?

When I see or hear that word, I think of action movies where there’s a person who needs to jump out of a plane, or leap from roof top to roof top, or even dive into an ocean. Inevitably, they always make a save even though it should be impossible.  

The definition of Daring is to be “adventurous or audaciously bold.”

This year we are focusing on being daring with our faith. Without faith we are lost. Without daring we can’t act on that faith.

In Hebrews 11:1-3 it says,

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

Think about that for a second, it is only through faith that we can understand the world we live in. It is only through faith that we can believe in the promises that God has given us. Take Abraham and Sarah, God gave Abraham an impossible promise that his offspring would be to numerous to count.

“And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead— a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.”
Hebrew 11:12

In the end, Abraham never saw his numerous offspring. But he did see his son Isaac, the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise. He had to have faith as he was dying that God would see his promise through to the end.

We have the privilege of seeing not only the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham but knowing that God’s ultimate promise has been fulfilled because of his promise to Abraham. We have Jesus in our lives because of that promise.

You and I have the privilege of knowing what the plan is and an idea of where we are going. We also know what our ultimate calling is to reach everyone we can with the message of Jesus our savior and the love his father has for all of us.

So, I want to call each of you to be daring. Take a deep breath and share Christ with the people around you. Pretend that you are an action hero jumping out of a plane to save someone fighting off sharks in the ocean blue. Be daring.    

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Sammie Chaffin on Unsplash

New Year, New You // Chelynn Broughton

Happy New Year, my sweet sisters in Christ! I don’t know about you, but I’m believing for a joy-filled year. I’m so done with all of the sadness and loss that the past two years have brought with them. 

Each new year brings new beginnings and new goals (resolutions) with it. As we begin the twenty-one day church wide fast, what are you praying for in your own life? What resolutions have you set? If you haven’t done so yet, sit down with a pen and a new journal or notepad and establish your goals for the year. On the first page, I would make four columns: Family/Friends, Financial, Faith, and Future. Then list your personal goals for each of these. What can you do in 2022 that will better your life in each of these areas? I’m sure most of us have a goal to lose weight or get fit (probably our #1 resolution) and are wondering where that fits under one of the categories. I actually think it could go under all four. If we are fit, we are healthier, and we feel better, and it makes it easier to do what we want to do in each of the categories. 

Typically, when we set resolutions, we focus on ourselves, but I challenge you this year to think of how your personal goals can better the lives of others as well. When you think about the “Faith” category, maybe you need to challenge yourself to be daring and brave when it comes to telling others about what God has done in your life or what He can do in theirs. Maybe challenge yourself to avoid the drama that the world loves to throw your way and instead turn to God’s word for how to handle each situation you’re faced with. There is no situation you will ever face that God hasn’t already provided an answer for in the Bible. 

Once you have written down your goals, pray over them. Ask God to help you achieve each of them, and then thank Him for answering your prayers. My favorite verses in the Bible may help you as you do this step: 

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done (or will do). Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7 ‭NLT‬‬

I also challenge you to journal your year and continue to reflect on each of your goals that you set for the year. How are you seeing them accomplished? If you aren’t doing as well as you wanted, pray over your list again. You can even ask someone to be your accountability partner; share your list with them, and ask them to help you achieve the high priority goals and offer to do the same for them. At the end of 2022, you will be able to look back over your list and marvel at what God has done with and for you.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12

I look forward to spending this next year rejoicing with you over accomplishments you have achieved and the blessings God has rained down on you.

Chelynn is a contributing writer for Shaken and Stirred. She is a long-time daughter of Christ, a wife, mother of two amazing adult children, and Nonnie to four beautiful grandchildren. She teaches Senior English at Charles Page High School and is also a Realtor for Keller Williams. She enjoys all things summer including boating, vacationing, and swimming.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash