God, Why Have You Blessed Us?

November 19, 2025November 18, 2025 RefreshHerLeave a comment

You can listen to this post on Refresh Her podcast.

Have you ever looked around and really noticed how much God has blessed you? The homes we have, the material blessings that He gives are all gifts from His loving, generous hands. How can we use them to serve the Lord?

Listen to what the psalmist said – Psalm 67: 1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

This was a request for blessing.

This psalm comes from the Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, where the High Priest of Israel would pronounce this beautiful blessing upon the people.

1 Peter 2:9-10 tells us that all believers are also a priesthood. We offer a priestly service to the world, and we primarily do it through evangelism.

“God be merciful.”
“The best saints and the worst sinners may unite in this petition.” (Spurgeon)
It would be quite a sight to see a guilty criminal before a judge, pleading for mercy, and receiving it – and then asking for a blessing! But God’s love toward us is that great!

And cause His face to shine upon us: To have the glorious, happy face of God shining upon us is the greatest gift we could have. To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased – not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ – there is no greater source of peace and power in life.

Bless us.

Then we read why he is asking this:

That Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

The psalmist had a beautiful scope in mind: not just Jerusalem, not just Judea, not just all of Israel, not just all the Middle East, not just all the Mediterranean world, not just his continent or hemisphere, but all the earth.

God wants us to have the same heart and the same vision – for all the earth.

We are blessed in Christ. We have been saved.
Then beyond that, God blesses us in so many other ways with His grace blessings – things He gives that we don’t deserve. It reminds us of His great love for us, but why else does God bless us.

Let me ask you – Why do you have a home? Oh sure, for shelter and rest, but why did God give you the home you’re living in?

Continue reading →

Refreshing the Hearts of Others

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025 RefreshHer3 Comments

How refreshing it is to stand in a stream and hear its bubbling song. There is just something about flowing, moving water that invigorates! It refreshes! If you’ve ever stood at a stream’s edge in the countryside you know what I mean.

Some time ago, I was given a handout entitled, “Twenty Ways to Refresh.” Due to the nature of my blog and my desire to refresh others in their heart, home and life, I gravitate to the word, “Refresh.” Harold Vaughan, the founder of Christ Life Ministries, is the epitome of Encouragement and he is the author of this list I was given. When we refresh others, we are pouring life into them, like that flowing stream does for us! If you’re like me and you have difficulty thinking of ways to encourage others, this list will help you.

Here are the first ten:

Greet people on Sunday mornings (at church) with a smile. It is okay to let your face say that you are happy to be at church. Go out of your way to say, “Hi.” Ask questions about the lives of others, and listen attentively.
Visit the widows and shut-ins of your church. Take an afternoon and visit three or four. Sit, talk, listen and be willing to look at their photo albums – all of them.
Have a mouth that is overflowing with grace and is slow to wander down any other road.
Show up each Sunday morning with a mental list of three or four people that you are going to find and minister to. Many of us walk into church with an attitude of, “I wonder who will minister to me today.” Nothing can be as drastically encouraging to a local church’s membership than a people united in the understanding that they are there to serve and love one another.
Be a Monday morning encourager instead of a Monday morning critic by sending your pastor an email detailing what you appreciated about his Sunday sermon.
Don’t rush out of church on Sunday mornings. Be one of the last to leave because you are taking the time to talk with everyone you can.
Often remind others of the benefits of salvation and the graces that flow from union with Christ. Let it season your conversations.
Routinely have a crock-pot meal or roast cooking on Sundays and spontaneously invite a visiting family or family in need for supper following the service. (See my Successful Sunday Dinner series!)
Seek out those visiting the church, get to know them, and introduce them to others. Find connections, and be a networker to the glory of God.
Aim to remember people’s names and greet them by name each Sunday. This takes work, but it can happen. (I go to my seat and write their names in my journal, with a brief description of the person!)

This really inspired and refreshed me! Which one of these points speaks most to you?

Lovingly,

kindness · serving

Withhold Not Good

February 9, 2024January 30, 2024 RefreshHerLeave a comment

One day a dear older man and his wife (I’ll refer to them as Mr. and Mrs. C) from our church stopped in for a short visit. I loved it when they would stop by. They didn’t call. They didn’t announce ahead of time, they just took the risk and drove out to the country, stopped in and rang the bell to see if we were home.

On their stop that day, Mr. C. was seated only momentarily before a twinkle came to his eye and he proceeded to attempt to get up off the sofa.

“I’ll be right back” he said, with his finger extended to make his point.

“I have to go get something.”

He slowly made his way back out to his car, assisted by his cane. Returning minutes later, he walked towards where I was seated and presented me with a little box of chocolates. “Here’s you some chocolate!” he said with a chuckle. I was blown away. This man who had difficulty just making it into the living room in the first place due to the effects of his age, made a special trip back out to his vehicle to retrieve this treasure box for me? I was so touched!

I was not surprised at his kindness; he was known for that – not just by me, but by many others as well. Many times I’ve seen him reach his hand into his suit coat at church, like a magician reaching in to retrieve a rabbit out of a hat, and coming out with a sweet treat to share. This is a special kind of “magic.” It’s the magic of a giving heart.

Who doesn’t love to get a little gift? Proverbs 3:27 is a reminder to me to give. It says,

“Withhold not good to them to whom it is due

when it is in the power thy hand to do it.”

Proverbs 3:27

That verse is a little push to be like Mr. C, who was always looking for ways to share the things he has the power to give. We can all do something for someone else. It’s just about asking the Lord to make us aware of what we could give. I’ve noticed by watching giving people that being a generous person makes your heart large. Mr. C. was just a loving man; so was his wife. I know others who are always on the lookout to do thoughtful gestures, and they, too, have that spirit that just makes you enjoy their company – not because of what they give, but because of their large heart!

If we’re going to be like Mr. C, We need to:

Ask God for wisdom and the heart to be a giver.
Think about who we’re going to be with today.
Prayerfully think about what their needs might be – or just a grace gift you could share.
Obey whatever the Lord brings to your heart!

Need a few suggestions to get you thinking?

You might be the lady who always has a peppermint or chewing gum in your purse to share.
Did you get special Buy one Get One Free offers at the grocery? Share the extra one!
Hand over the magazines or books you’ve read to someone you think would enjoy them.
Keep wrapped candies – Kisses, Werther’s /caramels, Smarties, miniature candy bars, etc. at your front door to give your guests.

May people remember us as folks who have large, giving hearts! A little gift says big things!

What special gift has someone given you that touched your heart?

Refresh your heart and the hearts of others by giving!

Biblical Womanhood · refreshing others

The Waterfall of Ministry

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022 RefreshHerLeave a comment

Continuing in our review and series of A Woman After God’s Own Heart

Every hard thing you’re going through or have been through, God, in His infinite wisdom and providence wants to take and make it useful in your life, and in the lives of others. He does that by giving us opportunities to apply and sometimes also share what we’ve learned. It’s some kind of ministry, though it may not be given in a “ministry setting.” It often happens life on life as God brings people to us with whom we can pour ourselves with compassion, grace and mercy. We suddenly realize that the Lord has a ministry for us and we are awestruck at the opportunity to serve him.

Continue reading →

refreshing others · Time management

A Time to Serve

February 26, 2020February 22, 2020 RefreshHer6 Comments

You just looked at your “to do list” and it’s a mile long. You’re late for where you’re headed, you haven’t eaten breakfast, the laundry’s piled up waiting to be folded, and then you get a phone call and learn of a friend in need. You also remember the requests that were mentioned in church of hurting people and want to help, but where is there time to be able to minister to others in the busyness of every day life?

Solomon reminds us that there is time for everything…

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecc. 3:1

Perhaps we need to be a little creative so we might make the opportunity to be able to serve others.

One solution would be to find a day or even just part of a day each week that is a little slower than the rest. There has to be at least one – even if it’s on Sunday afternoon. Make that your “ministry day.” It’s not that you can’t minister to people on other days if needed, but make that your time where you really focus on writing cards, making calls or even making a visit. Through the week, keep a list of people that need ministering to, then on that day put your thoughts into action.

783e8-cards2b004

You might even use that day to bake some things to put in the freezer for upcoming opportunities to minister. Prepare an extra casserole, batch of cookies or bread so you’ll be prepared to serve others. This will cost you some time, as well as expense, but

Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. – J.H. Jowett

ec9c8-bloggingbread004

Stop just wishing you could do something for others and starting planning a day to put your hands busy doing what’s in your heart.

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

denise a