As I walk through my challenges, and spend time with the Lord in His Word, I believe that the best way to weather hardships is to embrace them.

Embrace is defined online as: “an act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically.”

Well, at first glance I bristle at the thought that I should accept or support my challenges willingly or enthusiastically.

But God has a lot to say about our challenges, our attitude toward them, and their ultimate benefit to our lives.

Please take time to ponder the following verses:

1 Peter 5:10: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Romans 5:3-5: “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Romans 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Psalm 34:19: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

2 Timothy 3:12: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”.

Philippians 3:10: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death”.

What do you understand from these verses about suffering? 

I glean that God’s best comes my way when I embrace my challenges, rather than spit and sputter about them.  I have far to go on this!

I glean that God’s best comes my way when I rejoice in my challenges, rather than bemoan them.

I glean that God’s power WILL deliver me in and through my challenges. 

I want to be a recipient of God’s best!  

I want to lean on Him and abide in Him more than I do.

Praise God that He is so generous with His forgiveness, mercy and grace, so that I can learn from my sinful choices, and walk more intimately with Him through my challenges.

How do we embrace our struggles when it’s our kids who are reviling against us, or our coworkers are lying about us, or our family is antagonistic toward us, or there is another stressful situation? 

How do we embrace our struggles and have joy in the midst of them?

These are some ways God is helping me to turn from hurt, anger, or other ungodly emotions and responses to ones of peace and joy:

God chose me for His own – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16

Jesus experienced earthly struggles and rose above them, so He can help us rise above ours – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 

In these verses from Hebrews we learn that Jesus is our great high priest. As such, He is with our Heavenly Father, and His power works for our benefit as He conducts “business” with the Father. He is also in us through His indwelling Holy Spirit, whose power works to comfort and encourage us in our times of trouble. He is sinless, so He can help us sin less. He allows us the opportunity to come to His throne of grace, confidently, for the help we need to better manage ourselves through our troubles. Jesus patiently endured His trials, so He can help us do likewise.

There are so many other promises in God’s Word that we can lean upon so that we can embrace our struggles and rise above. Take heart!  We have a sovereign God who loves us, and wants to walk closely with us through all the issues of life. Will you take Him up on His offer to help you?

Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Will you come to Jesus, now? He wants to have a personal relationship with you. Jesus wants to be your best friend. 

If Jesus isn’t your best friend, then you will not truly be able to embrace your challenges. I’d enjoy talking with you further about this. Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if I can help you to have a personal relationship with the one true living God.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Last week we began looking at God’s test of Abraham. It was the call from God to sacrifice Abraham’s beloved and promised son, Isaac.

This trial for Abraham provides us with a great faith lesson – a lesson to trust God for what we deem impossible!

We read in Genesis 22 how Abraham trusted God in the midst of the greatest challenge of his life. We continue to learn from the rest of the passage.

“Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” That was certainly a legitimate question!

“Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.” Wow! I can only believe that Abraham poured into Isaac deep-seated trust in God. Abraham definitely had stories to relay about his times of not trusting God, and how God faithfully rescued him from his sinful choices. Abraham had other events in his life of God’s promises and faithfulness he could use to encourage Isaac in his relationship with God. Perhaps Isaac knew God’s promise of descendants would come through him?

We need to hear from one another the ways God faithfully shows Himself in our lives. We need to share that obedience to God is always best. We need to tell of God’s amazing mercy and grace revealed in our lives. These events encourage us to trust God. They also encourage others to dig deeper into their relationships with God.

Watch what God does for Abraham and Isaac:

“When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” What are you thinking right now? Are you at peace, like Abraham, or are you thinking maybe Abraham didn’t hear God clearly? Are you thinking that perhaps Abraham should stop trusting God and take matters into his own hands, and go find a burnt offering? 

So many thoughts can swirl around in our minds, when we should simply focus on God, with implicit trust.

But God had a plan…Abraham had to wait for God to reveal it! That is always when the tension is the greatest – the moments before God reveals Himself.

“But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” Abraham was attuned to the voice of the Lord. How attuned are you to His voice. In John 10:27-28 Jesus states that His sheep – His people – hear His voice.

“Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God [Abraham passed God’s test!], because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” [What an amazing moment in Abraham and Isaac’s lives!]

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” 

That is our great Creator! He is our faithful God! He authors the events of our lives so that we can know Him more deeply, and make Him known to others. 

But God had an even greater meaning to the events in this passage. All of this was pointing to Jesus, the One whom the Lord provided to pay the penalty for our sins.

The ultimate blessing in this trial for Abraham is God’s promise to him: “The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” The song “Amazing Grace” comes to mind. I wonder what Abraham experienced in his relationship with God at that moment. Did he, like John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace” understand how wretched a sinner he was, and how great our God is? 

The passage ends telling us: “Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.” I wonder what that trip home was like! I can only imagine the experience with God on Mt. Moriah had a profound impact in their lives. 

Out of this deep trial came an amazing experience with God. 

Perhaps we should be prepared for trials when someone prays: “May God bless you”? For God’s people, it is always a win-win situation. 

Do you know Jesus intimately?  If not, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com. 

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

As I am walking through some trials, God has impressed upon my heart that I need to be a “spectator”. 

Not a spectator of a sports event, concert, or any other such activity, but God wants His people to be spectators of what He is doing.

As I imagine myself as a spectator of God, I picture myself at a baseball game. I’m in the stands. God is the only one on the field. My responsibility is to keep my eyes fixed upon Him, so that I know when I am supposed to act or speak. He will let me know when I need to come out of the stands.

I have to remember that He is the Head Coach of the team of believers who follow Jesus.

As the Head Coach, He has all authority to call the plays that I am to follow.

As the Head Coach, He has my best interests at heart.

As the Head Coach, He knows what each “player” should be doing so that we are coordinated for His glory.

God, our Head Coach, leads us in ways that are righteous and holy. He is mighty!  He is mighty to save us from our sins. Zephaniah 3:17 states this truth: “The LORD your God is in your midst, a Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

Luke 1:68-75: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Hebrews 12:2 reminds us of what Jesus has done for us so that our sins, though they be great, are ALL forgiven when we belong to Jesus: “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As I keep my eyes focused on my Head Coach, remaining in my seat as a spectator, I am able to see Him clearly, and to hear His voice. He will only lead me in ways that are good for me. He will only lead me in ways of purity, truth, holiness, mercy and grace.

He calls me to participate in some hard plays. But God has them all planned out so that I can come out a winner for Him, for His kingdom! 1 Corinthians 15:57 states: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As I’ve been settling into my role as a spectator, I find that the peace of God rules deeper in my heart and mind the more I set my eyes upon Him. Isaiah 26:3: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Being a spectator causes me to practice being still, so that I can give closer attention to what my great God is telling me. Being still helps me to reorient myself to the Lord. It allows me to calm my anxious heart as I look to Him. 

Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

2 Corinthians 4:18 helps us further understand where we should focus our attention: “As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” We can’t physically see our great God now, but one day our hope will be fulfilled, when Jesus returns and finalizes our everlasting life in and with Him. In the same way that players pay attention to their head coach, looking to receive their step by step plays, we should fix our eyes on Jesus. We need to watch as spectators, so that we know when we are called to step into play. 

Though He is unseen, He is not silent! He has provided us with His Word, the Bible, so that we can know some of His thoughts. John 21:25: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

How might taking on the role of spectator help you find greater intimacy with the Lord Jesus? If you do not yet have a personal relationship with Him, this is the day you could experience His transforming gift of eternal life, as you receive complete forgiveness for your sins.

If I can help you take this step, please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com. 

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Have you ever gone into a store or restaurant and found that you had a long wait to get assistance, or to be seated?  Perhaps your waiting was on a phone call!! The world has lots of lines we wait in!

But God has NO waiting time for anyone who wants to seek Him!

Our God is so big, so great, so powerful that we do not have to stand in a line, or take a number, to gain access to him. He can simultaneously communicate with everyone. He can give every person His undivided attention and affection! 

Our God is awesome!! 

How often do we take advantage of talking with God? Since there are no long lines to wait in, why would we not take our cares to Him immediately?

Do we go to God first, before we take our cares to people? Since God has all knowledge, all wisdom, why would we seek out the thoughts of finite people?

Do we wait upon God to hear His thoughts, His perspective on our problems? Since God knows what is best, based upon His infinite omniscience and omnipresence, what causes us to not linger a bit longer in order to hear what He has to say?

If you want to learn to communicate with God, I recommend taking time to read and study the Psalms. These are songs and prayers directed to God. The men who penned them show us how to bring heartfelt prayers to our Maker. 

God created us to talk with Him.

God created us to listen to His voice – His still small voice.

God created us to be dependent upon Him.

God created us to praise, exalt and glorify His name. 

We best glorify God when we come directly to Him with all that touches our lives. It may be sin we are struggling with, or some other trouble that is unsettling us. Whatever it is, remember, there are no waiting lines for God…He is waiting for us to come to Him.

Let’s start with Psalm 1:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers” God’s true followers are different because they pay attention to how they live their lives. They are men and women who pursue the ways of God as detailed in The Bible. They turn away from the ways of the ungodly. 

The Psalmist continues to tell us what true followers of Jesus delight in, and with what intentionality: “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

The results for the person who delights in and intentionally spends time digging into the truths of God’s Word is: “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Wow! I want to be this person! I want to be that tree that yields God’s love, His kindness, mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience, long-suffering, slowness to anger, control over my tongue…and SO much more! We can do this as we spend time with God. 

I’m so grateful there are no waiting lines to our great God, because more often than I like, I need to run to Him. A waiting line would be problematic! 

I’m grateful God is available all the time. His availability comes to us through Jesus, who paid the penalty for our sins. Jesus took the wrath of God upon Himself, so that He could make atonement for all the sins of mankind. In doing so, Jesus opened up the way to God the Father, so we can boldly come before His throne of grace: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16.

The Psalm continues to consider people who fail to love Jesus: “Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.” The psalmist compares those who don’t love the Lord with chaff that is blown away, because it is useless. This would have been a very understandable picture to those who lived when harvesting was done manually. The chaff was lighter than the grain. The grain would fall to the ground, while the useless chaff blew away. 

 “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” When Jesus returns, and He makes His final judgment on all people, there will be those who will be eternally separated from Him. The people who were committed to following Jesus, will spend eternity with Him. Psalm 1 sends a strong message. Please don’t ignore God. He is real. He wants you to repent of your sins, and accept His Son’s gift of forgiveness. What have you done with His offer? If you have not yet accepted Jesus, why not make this moment the time of your repentance, and receive the gift of eternal life?

“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”Those of you who love Jesus, please be encouraged by this verse. God IS watching over you. He is waiting, with no lines, for you to come to Him with whatever weighs on your heart. He is waiting for you to give Him praise and thanksgiving for His love and all His gifts He has bestowed upon you. This line also contains a second strong warning for those who have not accepted Jesus. Their end will be their destruction. This doesn’t mean they will not exist. It means they will forever be separated from God, and live in an eternal existence that will always bring regret.

Here is a quote from Tim Keller that I think may encourage you to trust Jesus: “Putting our faith in Christ is not about trying harder; it means transferring our trust away from ourselves and resting in him.”

Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if I can encourage you to rest in Jesus as you Lord and Savior.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

I often wonder when someone prays “God bless us” what they are asking God to do. Is the person asking for only good events to take place in our life?

After all, God does bless us every day through having sent His one and only Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. 

He blesses us with air to breathe. He blesses us with His indwelling Holy Spirit, when we have a true relationship with Him through Jesus. He blesses us in the midst of challenges with peace, guidance, and help. The list of God’s blessings for us goes on and on.

When I first came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I was taught to pray specifically. When I pray specifically, I am more attuned to see God’s involvement in the answer. That leads me to tell Him how grateful I am.

When we pray specifically, we may have a hint of what God’s activity might be in our lives. After all, just because we ask God to do something, doesn’t mean He will do it our way! We must always be grateful for how He answers, knowing He always will do what is best for us. That means suffering may be involved.

I have also realized that some of my greatest blessings have come through times of trials and suffering for the Gospel.

Does that mean when someone prays “God bless us” that they are asking for times of suffering to come upon us? After all, we are blessed with a deep experience of God during trials and tribulations, when we abide in Him.

Abraham was blessed abundantly by God. However, he had to walk through times of great challenges, causing him to lean into and trust God moment by moment. [That is what God desires for all His people.] Consider the following passage from Genesis 22:1-18:

“Some time later God tested Abraham.” Often our challenges are authored by God. He has only good intentions in the times of testing. We know He did for Abraham. That’s a blessing!

“He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. What a privilege for Abraham to have this direct conversation with God! Abraham had no idea what would come next in this conversation. But God did, and He was prepared to help Abraham in and through the trial.

Today, God speaks to us through the reading of God’s Word, and by His Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts and minds. It is a privilege and blessing to have this intimate communion with God. Others can read the Bible, but without a relationship with Jesus, the experience is different for them.

“Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.” This command starts out sounding like they will be heading for a road trip…those can be enjoyable.

But God had more to say: “Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Now that is a challenge. That is when Abraham could have gotten into a lot of “what ifs”. I don’t think Abraham ever gave it a thought that if he sacrificed Isaac he had Ishmael as a back up. I’m basing this upon his words to his servant. Abraham told his servant “we” will be back. At this point in his life, Abraham didn’t allow doubt to creep in, not from anything we read in the Bible.

It appears that without further discussion with God, when we might want to ask Him to reconsider His request, Abraham obeyed: “Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” I often wonder if God, through His Holy Spirit, was encouraging Abraham as they traveled, especially with reassurance that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead. 

What attributes of God might the Holy Spirit encourage us with when we are in pressured situations? This is always a great time to get out your list of God’s attributes, and ponder them from A to Z! If you want a copy of my list, please email me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

The Amplified Bible gives us further insight into the situation. In Hebrews 11:19 it states: “For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking.” [Please remember the bracketed words are man’s thoughts on the passage.]

This passage from Hebrews gives us insight into how deeply Abraham trusted God. After all, God had “proven” Himself to Abraham many times prior to this point. That history with God built confidence in Abraham. This works the same way for us. Our history with God, of His involvement and faithfulness to us, builds confidence for the next trial that we experience.

“He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Do you hear the confidence Abraham voices to his servant regarding God in this statement? Abraham KNEW Isaac would return with him. 

Abraham didn’t know how God was going to do it, but he trusted God fully. 

As we begin 2025, will you determine to trust God more than you did in 2024, so that you can experience deep blessings of God at work in your life in the midst of suffering?

The story will continue in next week’s edition of “But God”.

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com to talk about trusting God and knowing more of His character.  Also, If Jesus isn’t your Lord and Savior, please reach out to me.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Last week’s blog, “The First Christmas”, focused on what was happening on the day Jesus was born. Let’s compare that to how we celebrate the greatest event, to date, in our history today.

Today, people can crowd churches for Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day services. They dress in fancy clothes. But how many people truly understand the reason for the season? How many people truly worship the God who made us in His own likeness?

The shepherds who worshiped Jesus understood who He was. They didn’t have Bibles – we do. They didn’t question the angels when they came to announce His birth. They rejoiced while going to worship their Savior. 

That raises a few questions in my mind. What did they do with their sheep while they headed to Bethlehem. Where did they stay when they got there? Remember, everyone was called to their home towns, and there was no room for Mary and Joseph so they stayed in a less than desirable location.

But God knew the shepherds’ hearts were open to know Jesus!  How open is your heart to Jesus? Did you attend a Christmas service? Was your focus Jesus, or was your focus more on the things of this world? Were you more consumed with honoring Jesus, or with thoughts of opening gifts, or eating a meal? 

Today, people are often more concerned about what they might receive for Christmas, than realizing that God has already given us the best gift ever. How do you show God that you are grateful for Jesus?

Today, people are less concerned about truth, but very consumed with fantasy. Consider Santa Claus. Some will attempt to rationalize their fanciful story of Santa Claus by attempting to connect him with a man who was generous to others, a man who cared about people. But I don’t believe that man would be thrilled to see how his deeds have led people to deceive their children. 

I don’t believe that God is pleased with the modern day Christmas. It is commercialized, a place whereSanta reigns, Christ is diminished, and often forgotten. Ask a young child the meaning of Christmas, and you will likely find they are surprised to know it is all about Jesus.

It is so different from the first Christmas, where lowly shepherds heard from God, and responded with hearts of worship and exaltation.

The first Christmas brought hope to all who understood God’s gift of Jesus. It still does that today, but even with all our Bibles, Bible apps, podcasts with Gospel preaching, churches that are Christ centered, many still refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior. That was actually the case during the time of the first Christmas. Matthew 15:7-9 states this: “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Even Jesus’ own brothers and sisters failed to recognize Him for who He was until after His resurrection. “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Mark 3:21

But God is still at work today, as He was then. Matthew 9:35-38 tells us that God has a harvest, and since Jesus hasn’t returned yet, we still have work to do for His kingdom: “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

He is still working to bring people to a personal relationship with Himself, through His Son, Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our part is to share the Gospel. We need to make people understand the bad news – we are sinners, so they can understand the good news – Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so we can be reconciled to God.

This is not something man can make happen without God’s Spirit at work. It is a mystery, how all that happens. The Bible teaches that God’s people were chosen before the foundations of the world were spoken into existence. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:4.

 The Bible also teaches that we are to seek Him, and we will find Him. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

It is all true. We simply accept these truths by faith, and leave the explanation to God.

Holiday events are not always the most pleasant for some people. But God wants to take the sting out of our sorrows, fears, and anxieties, through the hope we have in Jesus.

Consider what we learn about Jesus from this verse in Colossians 1:16–17: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Everything is all about Jesus! Creation is through His power. All authorities are under His auspices. We were created through Him and for Him!

Since everything is about Jesus, we have reason to rejoice – every day – because of Christmas – God with us. God sent His one and only Son, who willingly gave His life for us. His death couldn’t have happened without His birth. Therefore, it is a day for rejoicing.

What is keeping you from worshiping God, and rejoicing in His greatest gift to mankind? Is it unforgiveness? Is it fear? Is it covetousness? Is it anger? Is it a past that you had no control over but that still controls your present, or is it something else?

Today, we often have to live counter to our culture. Our culture has tried to take away our greeting to others by changing “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”. Don’t fall for it! Greet people with the truth…it is a Merry Christmas for mankind, if only more people will understand that. God wants to use His people to proclaim this message.

How can we make Christmas about Jesus, and not the trappings of the modern Christmas? Why do we want to give a myth credit for generosity and not give God the glory He deserves?  

This is a quote that struck my heart: “If you love Christ, never be ashamed to let others see it and know it. Speak for Him. Witness for Him. Live for Him.” J. C. Ryle

Will you energetically share the complete Gospel message with as many people as you can this year, so that others can have a truly Merry Christmas – every day?

If you are sorrowful and want to talk, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com. If Jesus isn’t your Lord and Savior, please reach out to me…I want you to know the true meaning of Christmas.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

As Christmas was approaching this year, I took time to ponder the first Christmas, that day over 2,000 years ago, when Jesus was born.

There was no glamour. 

There was no pampering of pregnant Mary.

There was no comfortable vehicle in which to travel in from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

There was no clean, sanitary hospital with trained professionals to deliver Mary’s baby.

There was no posh hotel for Joseph and Mary.

There was no clean and comfortable bassinet with safety features.

There was no toilet that was shiny and comfortable.

There was no electricity.

There were no….you get the point….

But God chose to send His one and only Son into that era to become the atoning sacrifice for all people’s sins.

What were people thinking during that first Christmas day? Luke 2 gives us some insight into what was taking place in people’s hearts and minds.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” People were thinking about submitting to their Roman authority, and traveling in primitive conditions. But God had faithful Mary and Joseph, who understood that He had them on an eternal mission for all mankind.

On that first Christmas, Joseph and Mary had to fend for themselves in primitive conditions. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

But God, sovereignly, was preparing for their baby to be worshiped as the Savior of the world. I doubt Joseph and Mary knew all this was coming their way! “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

On that first Christmas, poor, lowly shepherds were honored to be the first to hear the news that the Savior of the world was born. Imagine how they were shocked. I’m thinking that everyone believed that when God sent His prophesied Son, that He wasn’t going to be greeted first by lowly shepherds. 

On that first Christmas there was awe and admiration for God, from the lowly, not from the Jewish leaders.

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” 

On that first Christmas, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Mary wasn’t concerned with buying gifts for others, because God had provided the best gift ever – Jesus!

The first Christmas helped lowly shepherds learn that God loved them, and communicated with them. They learned that they were valuable to God, and in return, on that first Christmas, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

What an amazing event! It was miraculous. It was something only God could do.

The first Christmas should do something in us. 

The first Christmas should cause us to ponder the truths of God’s Word.

The first Christmas should cause us to admire God.

The first Christmas should drive us to our knees and bring us face down before our loving God.

The first Christmas should bring us hope!

The first Christmas should bring us hope because we know there is more to come!

Jesus will return…soon and very soon!

But God wants you and me to take to heart, NOW, the reason HE sent Jesus. It was for you and me! It was because we are sinners, and have absolutely no recourse of our own to do anything about our spiritual condition.

But God did, and still does. We can admit our sinful state. We can accept God’s gift of Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice. We can allow Him to bring transformative repentance into our lives. We can live wholly for Him!

What do you want your life to represent when you enter into God’s presence to give an account of your life?

Please, don’t let this matter rest until you have made a commitment to Jesus. I’d be glad to talk with you. Please email me at the address below.

How does the first Christmas compare to our modern day Christmas? That is next week’s topic.

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

One night I decided to walk on the treadmill – in the dark. Usually there is enough light from outside to shed sufficient light for me to see what I’m doing. That was not so on that particular night. I proceeded to start walking, looked down to start my watch app, and suddenly realized I was not where I should be on the treadmill. I began reaching for the side bars, but in the pitch darkness I couldn’t find them. I flailed around until I realized I was falling off the side. Thankfully, I gently rolled onto the ground. It could have been a much harder landing, but God, in His mercy and grace, chose to soften my fall.

As I considered my actions, I realized that at one time that was a picture of me, spiritually speaking.

I was walking around in the pitch darkness of my sin. At times, I was flailing about as I looked for something to hold me up. But I wasn’t looking for Jesus to be the answer to my need. I was looking in all the wrong places for the fulfillment we can only receive when we truly trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

God, in His mercy and grace, through His living Word, Jesus, is sending people a warning. His warning is to turn to the light, and reject the darkness. That is what He enabled to happen in my life, and I will never regret the decision I made to follow Jesus.

But God will not force anyone to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. He wants willing hearts, not reluctant followers.

When we make the commitment to trust and follow Jesus, He places His expectations upon us. One of those expectations is that we represent Him well to the world. 

In other words, we are to be light in the darkness. 

At Christmas time people put all kinds of lights out to decorate. Those lights dispel the darkness, and can turn our New York dark and cold nights into a joyful experience.

God’s people need to be like a strand of lights. One bulb brings some light, but when many bulbs are strung together, how pleasant it is to look at them.

Lights guide us so we see where we are walking, especially when we walk on a treadmill. On a vehicle, lights enable us to drive in the darkness with safety. God’s people are to be like these physical lights. We should be helping people to walk according to the Holy Spirit, leading others to know Him through the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Please consider the following verses in Ephesians 5:1-17:

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” People who love Jesus, are enabled by His indwelling Holy Spirit to lead others to Him. 

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Walking in the light requires God’s people to stop behaviors that fail to give Him honor, such as those described herein. 

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” When we walk in the light of Christ, our behavior is modeled after His. We don’t live in the evil behaviors described in this paragraph.

When we walk in the light of Jesus, our words are also different than the way the world operates. Our words are useful for encouraging, edifying, correcting, etc., but not useless or deceptive, as this verse points out:“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

People who walk in the light of Jesus need to fight the urge to fit in with those who walk in darkness, as these verses warn us: “Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

As light exposes what is hidden in the dark – for example, the scurrying from light of cockroaches – God’s people need to run from darkness and expose ungodliness. It is one way we can lead others to know the righteousness of Christ. It is not that any true follower of Jesus is better than another, but that we have experienced God’s powerful transformation such that we want to walk in His light. We do not have fond memories of our sinful choices because they were deadening, but our desire is to further experience the presence of God. His presence brings life, and as His followers we can shine that life for others to desire.

“For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Isn’t it glorious to be a follower of Jesus and to experience His light shining into our lives? This is where people find true freedom and true peace. It’s not the temporary ceasefire type of peace the world thinks of, but it is a permanent peace with the God who created us. He is the God whose image we bear.

So we are warned: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

I came across this saying by Thomas Watson, and believe that it points us to the heart of what it is to walk in the light of the Gospel:

                        “It is one thing to profess God, another thing to resemble Him.”

When we resemble Jesus, His light WILL shine in and through us to others. Those who only profess God, still live in darkness.  These folks are missing the heart of Jesus. They are flailing in the dark, unable to find Christ, who can give them true stability.

But God is patient. He wants you and I to be a light to our sin-laden darkened world. 

What do you want your life to represent – the light of Christ or the darkness of sin? There is no middle ground. Either we are for God, and His light, or we are against Him, walking in darkness.

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

I don’t spend a lot of time watching sports, but I’ve heard the term “playbook”. It is a book that contains descriptions of the plays, or actions of the athletes. The athletes are encouraged to follow the playbook, and not to be lone rangers. Athletes need to be team players. In order to play as a team, the playbook guides their actions.

In the early years of the United States, the Bible was the playbook. People utilized it to teach their children how to read. It was used as a primer to educate children. Unfortunately, we live in a day when many homes don’t even have a Bible.

In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul states this about the Bible when he wrote to Timothy: “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

If we want to know how to live in a right relationship with God, we must become increasingly familiar with its content.

The Bible contains poetry, historical events, personal letters, and everything God deemed necessary for us to know about Him. Knowing about Him is the most important information we can find in the Bible.

It also contains truth about our creation, God’s purpose for creating us, and detailed guidance on how we should live for Him. It gives us everything we need to know for our spiritual lives. Psalm 119:105 states this truth about the Bible: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Do you ever have questions about God?

Do you ever have questions about why we exist?

Do you ever have questions about how to deal with relational issues?

Do you ever have questions about what comes after this life?

God’s playbook – the Bible – has answers to these questions, and others.

But God doesn’t give us every detail. 

We must live by faith.

Unlike a sports playbook that needs to be updated and rewritten, God’s Word should never be changed in any manner.

God’s people are His team. Paul refers to God’s people as the Body of Christ. 

Are you living for Jesus or following your own playbook?

Too often people “do church” – attend Sunday service, perhaps give some money to the church, and do other activities that make it appear as if God matters to them. But God looks at our hearts. He knows whether we are truly living for Jesus, or if we are playing church.

We can know the difference. God’s Holy Spirit will convict us. If we are not regularly convicted of our sins, that is a red flag. If we fail to repent regularly of our sins, that is another red flag. There are other red flags, ask God to reveal them.

In Christ, we have unlimited, wisdom, forgiveness etc. God offers us abundant life, that starts now and will be fully realized when we get to heaven. 

Since heaven is our goal, and the fulfillment of God’s promises to His followers, we should practice here as if we were there.

We do that by following God’s playbook, the Bible. Another way to know our status in our relationship with Him, is how meaningful God’s Word is to us. 

Do you desire to spend time with Him in the Bible? If not, seek out the reason why.

If you want to go deeper with Jesus, ask Him to help you with that desire. 

Open the Bible. Think about each verse you read. Ask God to make His living Word alive for you! God’s Word should be our number one priority to read and heed. It gives us everything we need to live a life of value now that honors God. Honoring God should be our number one priority.

I guarantee you will not regret making the effort to go deeper with God, to make His Word your priority. 

If I can help you with this journey, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com .

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

I was thinking about friends who want to get married. It made me think further about all relationships, whether marriage, friendships, neighbors, church relationships, etc. 

That is when I had to think about what I bring to my marriage and to my other relationships.

What is it that God would have me bring to these relationships became the question I had to ask myself. What does the Bible tell me that I need to give attention to so that my relationships are more honoring to Him?

I think that the best place to start is with Galatians 5:14: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

I find myself increasingly asking myself, is what I’m going to say or do for someone else what I would want them to say or do for me. By asking myself that question, it causes me to pause before I speak or act, and I find God’s Holy Spirit speaks to me in that pause. 

The other point I’ve learned from taking this time to pause before I speak or act, is that I’m  

not considering what the other person wants but what God expects of me in these situations. Since we don’t even know our own hearts, but God does, I find it best to ask His guidance. Jeremiah 17:9 states that truth this way: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand.”

Proverbs 17:17 also helps guide me with my relationships: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Extending God’s love, which is the love we use as our guide, does not always mean that we are doing what the other person wants, but heeding the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that our love is an extension of His love through us. 

God blesses us with His love, and He also disciplines us because He loves us. 

God makes this clear in Hebrews 12:4-11: “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Jesus, God’s only Son, gave His life to provide the opportunity for a living relationship with our eternal God. Once we have that relationship, God still disciplines us for our sins. We are thoroughly forgiven, but God wants us to live as close to Him as we can, and we can only do that through His loving discipline.

Philippians 2:3 raises another point that we must consider in building healthy relationships. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Selfishness/self-centeredness is a relational killer. When I want to have a relationship, is my goal to satisfy myself, or to be God’s vessel for the other person? Relationships sour when they are all about ourselves.

I am learning to listen to myself, to see how often my thoughts are about me, rather than about God or others. Often, after speaking, it is then that God causes me to LISTEN to what I’m saying. 

Listening is sooo hard, but vital to our relationship with God and others. I’m sure you’ve heard it said, we have two ears and one mouth!! I should be listening twice as much (or even more) than I speak.

We need to be earnest in our relationships – first with God, and then with one another. 

None of this happens overnight, but God works in us, over the length of our days, to develop our Christ-like character, so that we can have intimacy with Him and others.

What we bring to our relationships must stem from an intimate relationship with God, through Jesus. We should bring the desire to encourage people towards intimacy with God, because we are in an abiding relationship with Him.

However, I see that many people bring their neediness into relationships, rather than bringing to it a healthy vibrant relationship with God. Too many people enter into marriage, or other relationships, believing that the other person (other people) will meet their needs. 

When we come to relationships with expectations that the other person is going to make us happy, we are in dangerous territory. Instead, we need to enter into all relationships with the mindset that we can edify the other person. This is what builds strong relationships.

God wants to be the One to meet and fill our needs. That is because He alone knows us thoroughly, as our Maker. He therefore, is the only One qualified to satisfy the longings of our hearts.

How about you – what is your thinking, your mindset on relationships? Are you expecting your spouse to fulfill your needs? Are you expecting your friends, and/or people at church to fulfill your needs? Is there something in your thinking that needs to change so that your relationship with God, and relationships with others, are more dynamic?

Do you know Jesus intimately? Do you want to know Jesus intimately? Do you have questions about relationships? You can reach me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to discuss any of this further.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.