Shirlee Abbott

What Do You Look for in a Church?

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

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Worship Wisdom

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Some words of wisdom from C. S. Lewis:

“The perfect church service would be one
we were almost unaware of;
our attention would have been on God.”

Posted in other | Tagged C. S. Lewis, church, worship service | 2 Comments

Feeling Discouraged?

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Hebrews 10:25 (TLB)
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Neglect being encouraged.
Neglect encouraging others.

Your absence is an invitation to your own and others’ discouragement.

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God on the Golf Course

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

“I can worship God better on the golf course than I do in church.”

Golf course, woods, river, shore–I’ve heard them all. I’ve never said “golf course” myself. The other places . . . maybe.

Who picked the place? God? Or me?
Is it all about God? Or all about me?

What’s my prayer here?

Thank you, Lord.
–or–
Let me make that shot, catch that fish, ride that wave.

Is God there? Absolutely. My heart of praise? Not so much.

Posted in other | Tagged church, golf course, praise, worship | 2 Comments

Glad Times

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Psalm 122:1 (ESV)
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD!”

How do you feel when it is church time?

Church :^)
Church :^(

Which leads to a second question: What’s the point of church?

It’s all about me
It’s all about God
It’s all about everybody

What makes who glad?

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Be Careful What You Want

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged Jeremiah 29:11 | Comments Off

My Grandson Wants to Be President

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

I pray for my grandchildren. Not to grow up to be President (although one has that as a goal). Nope, I pray that they will become men and women of noble character.

That brings to mind the “wife of noble character” in Proverbs 31. She is faithful, hard-working, thrifty, attractive, generous, humorous, wise and kind. And she “fears the Lord,” she lives in awe of God.

Lord, may my grandchildren overflow with these qualities.

Hmm, I wonder: if and how did Grandmas Trump and Rodham pray for their grandchildren?

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Reflecting Glass

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

“Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story.”
Cliff Richards, Shine, Jesus, Shine

It’s not just clear glass. It’s also a mirror.

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Glorious Glass

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Yep, the ceiling is glass. Not to limit us, but to let is see the light of God’s glory.

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No Glass Ceiling

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

There was much discussion last week of the glass ceiling. What does that mean for you?

It doesn’t change my life
Sometimes the best man for a job is a woman
Much brouhaha about nothing

God has never had a glass ceiling for women (or children or different races). Through the centuries, culture imposed boundaries on what we women could do. But from the beginning of time, women had the same access to God as men.

God hears our prayers. He speaks to our hearts. He blesses us with spiritual gifts. He saves our souls. That’s what matters most.

Posted in other | Tagged glass ceiling, women | 2 Comments