GCR Women

I bought some hair clips today. I need them for a craft project. I stood there for a minute looking at my choices. Some clips were large. Some tiny. Some smooth. Some with teeth. I bought those. They’re called alligator clips because they’re shaped, well, like an alligator’s mouth. They’re long and tapered but what really sold me on them were the teeth. I think they’ll stay put. I’m hoping they’ll have a good grip. Without a good grip, the clips aren’t likely to stay in our hair. Instead, they’ll slide out and have to repositioned all the time. Annoying. Not worth having. Oh, but a clip with teeth!  That’s one I expect to stay where it’s placed, holding snugly onto the hair. That’s what we need - a faith with teeth. Teeth that will give us a good grip on God’s word and His teachings. Teeth that will keep us where we’re supposed to be. Teeth that will allow us to hold on even when the way gets slippery, when doubts and temptations try to shake our faith. Yes, that’s what I...

Friday night, we went to worship.  We've been to this kind of service before and always come away blessed. The evening starts at 6:30 when we leave the house.  Service begins at 7:00 and goes until it's over.  That varies depending on what's on the agenda but usually it ends between 8:30 and 10:00 pm. What I like about going is my sense of anticipation, the welcome I know I'll receive, the sincere worship from men and women who know they're being rescued from destruction by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit that I feel, and the joy that comes over me at having experienced such heartfelt worship with the family of God. I'd like to say I feel like this every time I go to worship but the truth is I don't.  The difference?  Me. I don't give myself fully to worship.  My mind seems unable to focus on the reason I'm there.  I come distracted by my cares and schedule, with little or no room for the Spirit to invade my...

The last time we drove down this county road, it was under construction.  The intersections were rough and bumpy and there were potholes and ruts full of water.  Yesterday, we found it complete.  It was wide and smooth.  The intersections were strong, reinforced to handle heavy truck traffic.  The ditches and fence lines were clean and dry.  We knew they'd finish the road someday.  Expected but unexpected. We had heard there was a chance of rain this weekend but that also means there's a chance it won't rain, so when we woke up Saturday morning to find it had indeed rained, we were delighted and pleasantly surprised.  We knew it'd rain again someday.  Expected but unexpected. I hadn't heard from my friend in weeks.  She had moved back home and was busy readjusting.   Yesterday, out of the blue, she texted that she was in town and wanted to get together.  I knew I'd hear from her eventually.  Expected but une...

We were laughing Wednesday night about my favorite line from the movie "Tremors 2."  Poor Bert!  He thought he was fighting one kind of threat, but the threat had changed and no one told him.  He said, "I feel I was denied critical, need-to-know information!" Sometimes when we're studying the Bible, it can feel like we don't have all the information and we're stumped.  We don't understand a passage.  We don't know the different layers and background information of a story.  We're unfamiliar with a concept or the meaning of a word.  It can make studying and understanding the Bible more difficult. Thankfully, the Lord planned for our missing knowledge, our ignorance.  He encouraged us to meet together with other believers regularly and encourage each other.  Through the Holy Spirit, He gifted some believers to be teachers and preachers.  He gifted mankind with the talent to develop the printing press and the Internet, so we could have...

Have you ever anticipated someone's coming?  Perhaps you prayed and prayed that this person would come. Time passed.  You kept praying.  Finally, the person you prayed for is here! That's what the Jews did.  They anticipated the coming of Messiah.  They prayed and prayed.  Centuries passed.  They kept praying.  Finally, He came. Some didn't recognize Him, but those who did saw Him for who He was.  They knew He had come from the Father.  Even when they didn't fully understand the impact He would have on their lives, they knew He was the answer to their prayers.  They saw Him.  They saw His glory. And because they were faithful and told His story, we believe.  We pray for Him to come into our lives.  We anticipate what His coming into our lives will mean.  Love comes full circle through Jesus.  He came to us from the Father.  Through Him, our lives are transformed.  Through Him, we have salv...

We’ve been memorizing scripture together for five years now.  It’s been a blessing to me. I hope it’s blessed you, too.  I hope that through the years you’ve developed a desire to write God’s Word on your heart. As 2018 begins, we have a new opportunity to start again - whether memorizing scripture or reading God’s Word daily - to soak in the beauty and richness that comes from making God’s Word part of our DNA. Join us as together we fill our hearts and minds with golden nuggets of truth - God’s truth. We will all be enriched. Richly blessed, Patrice Colossians 3:16a NIV Let the word of Christ dwell richly within you, ...

Christmas Day. So full of memories, so full of meaning.  Earlier this month, I encouraged you to watch “The Christmas Candle” on  Netflix.  I hope you did.  It’s one of the sweetest Christmas stories I’ve ever watched. The heart of the story is told in the theme song:  “Miracle Hymn”. The lyrics describe our Christian hope in words that few songs or hymns do. Something about this hymn resonates in my soul. Here are the lyrics: Miracle Hymn On a starry night in Bethlehem, ​a child was born to bring light to men, ​and our faith waned, our eyes grew dim. ​In a candle's light, we found hope again. ​ ​There are miracles all around, ​miracles yet to be found. ​Hid in every heart is an answered prayer. ​Like a candle's flame, hope will lead us there. ​ When the darkness comes, let the light shine through. ​A spark of flame will ignite in you. ​In a candle's glow, a virgin's womb, ​in a simple prayer, in the empty tomb. ​ ​There are miracles ...