Courtney's Contemplations . . .

When I was in 7th grade, I decided to sign up for athletics (where you play school sports) vs. P.E. (where you just fulfill a credit). It wasn’t because I liked sports. I didn’t. Nor was it because I was particularly athletic. I wasn’t. It was solely because, in the world of middle school girls, athletics was “cool” and P.E. wasn’t. And that in and of itself wasn’t exactly like me. I rarely went along with the crowd, and I even more rarely engaged in any activity where I wasn’t guaranteed close to 100% success, but the sway of my friends was just too much to resist when it came to athletics.

Two days in, my 12 year body realized a level of soreness and pain I never dreamed possible, and my 12 year old mind was frantically trying to backpedal out of what it deemed to be a huge mistake. I decided I wasn’t doing it, and I headed to our counselor’s office to get my schedule changed. But rather than get a quick rescue from the torture I was enduring, I got called into the principal’s office.

A little background for reference, if you peruse my past writings, you’ll know I grew up in a very small town. A town where my dad and his siblings spent most of their formative years. A town where both of my parents graduated from high school and returned to raise their own family after spending a little time spreading their wings in those college and early career years. A town where a large portion of my teachers and principals and coaches had been my parents’ teachers and principals and coaches.

Also, it’s important to note I was never, and I mean never, called to the principal’s office, but Mr. G (name shortened for privacy), my middle school principal, and I were good friends. I loved Mr. G dearly. He knew my family very well. He had been one of my dad’s most influential coaches and teachers and had put up with more shenanigans from my dad (and I’m sure all five of his siblings) than he ever deserved. But I had never been known as one who pulled “shenanigans”. I was fully convinced that Mr. G was going to save me from my self imposed athletic punishment.

Only he didn’t.

He called me into his office, and he said something along the lines of, “Miss McCrary I hear you want out of athletics?” And as I very dramatically and somewhat tearfully pleaded my case with him . . . the struggle is real when you’re 12 and stuck in athletics y’all . . . he hid a smile behind the sternest look he could pull off, and then he firmly, but definitely not unkindly, said, “No.” No he was not going to let me quit. Not because he was mean, but because he knew that letting me quit would be a mistake. It wouldn’t teach me to finish what I started. He knew I may not love it, but being in athletics was doing me no harm. And I absolutely could do it. He also knew it would make me think . . . it did . . . before going along with the crowd in the future. And just in case I was wondering, he knew my parents would agree with him.

I’m so thankful that Mr. G didn’t give in to my 12 year old demands that day.

That was the year, I learned that I could do hard things, and I didn’t have to be the best in order to be successful. That was the year I learned that I could enjoy exercise just for the sake of exercising . . . once I got over that initial soreness. That not winning wasn’t the end of the world. That I may not be the best athlete, but I was darn good at keeping stats, and running a mile or two wasn’t as difficult as I originally thought. I learned that putting yourself out there and taking risks comes in all different forms, and you really do need to stop and think before you go along with crowd.

The next year, I didn’t sign up for athletics, but it was a decision discussed and decided ahead of time. For me, I was perfectly happy being a “band nerd” and color guard member and participating in academic, rather than athletic, competitions. But I’ve never forgotten that day in 7th grade or the many lessons I learned in my short career as a middle school athlete. And though it took a few years, I now appreciate the “never quit” values that were instilled in me that year.

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author.

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls – Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.“ Habakkuk 3:17-18

Come what may, “I will rejoice“. That’s not the easiest thing to say, and it’s even harder to walk out. In the midst of trials, how do we still praise Him?

The book of Habakkuk opens with a conversation between Habakkuk and God. And it’s not an easy conversation. Habakkuk asks some questions. These questions are hard questions . . . they’re questions born out of distress . . . and they’re questions that push back. Habakkuk is frustrated and distraught by the evil surrounding him.

The very opening words of Habakkuk bring these difficult inquiries straight to the feet of God, and these questions, asked over 500 years before the birth of Jesus, seem as if they could have been asked right here, today:

“O Lord, how long shall I cry, And you will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” Habakkuk 1:2-4

This book . . . this back and forth communication between God and one of His prophets . . . where Habakkuk questions and God replies that things are about to be real tough (understatement of the century) . . . reads as if it were being written in modern times. It’s the definition of difficult. It’s not a book full of promises of easy times to come. And I know that I, personally, wouldn’t have handled the answers God gives incredibly well. But rather than shut down and turn away, Habakkuk shows us what exactly what we should do when all looks lost. He offers up a prayer to God, a prayer of awe . . . a prayer of praise . . . a prayer for mercy . . . a prayer for salvation . . . a prayer of faith that says he knows God will rescue His people. He knows God will make him “walk on high hills”.

Habakkuk ends with these words:

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls – Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on high hills.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

Not matter what . . . I. Will. Rejoice. Have you ever tried to walk high in the mountains? It’s not a simple stroll in the park. It’s challenging, but it’s also beautiful. It’s worth the hard to be able to walk in those high place. And Habakkuk knows that God will equip him to do just that.

Two things I take away from this book (which is three very short, beautifully written, relevant chapters, and I encourage you to sit down and and study it from beginning to end):

1. God can handle our hard questions. He is there for them. So ask Him. Don’t shy away from that conversation.
2. Don’t stop praising. Because no matter what comes . . . no matter how hard or devastating . . . our salvation lies in Him, and we must trust that God is in control even when nothing goes our way . . . even if everything around us seems like utter chaos.

We live in a lost world fraught with sin, but no matter what we have to believe and know . . . we must keep the faith that “God is good and He does good” (Psalm 119:68).

It begins and it ends right there.

“Yet I will Rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.“

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author.

I often refer to myself as perfectly inflexible. Dare I say, even rigid on occasion? I am a creature of habit and a routine follower to the max. I am not the type to “go with the flow”. So when things change on short notice . . . don’t even get me started on last minute . . . I can, at times, get a bit bent.

But . . . I married someone who is somewhat opposite in that regard. Where I am all about planning and details, my husband is a “figure it out as you go” person. And while we have two seemingly contradictory personalities and perspectives on how to deal with life, they actually complement one another quite well.

This is where the “perfectly” qualifier to my “inflexible” comes in.

It’s taken years for us to master this dance . . . me allowing him the freedom to make decisions on the fly. To be more adventurous and not follow an itinerary to a tee. And him understanding that doing that within a plan and timeline of some sort . . . just the security of knowing that I have some idea of what’s to come allows for a sense of freedom to not plan every single second of our lives . . . that I trust him and his judgment in those unplanned, unstructured, and maybe even risky moments. That’s not to say that I never let anxiety get in the way and steer the ship . . . that I always act super nice or “flexible” . . . because I still freak out from time to time. And sometimes, he no doubt, gets frustrated with me when I can’t just let the day or our lives play out without every minute accounted for. But those moments are fewer and further between, and what’s important is that we push one another out of our comfort zones, we support one another, and we have fun together.

2020 has been a year of challenges, a year of heartache, and a year from which most us would really like to erase large portions, if we’re totally honest. But it has also brought with it unique gifts and opportunities for growth. And at the tail end of this Thanksgiving week, when I look back over this year, I can’t help but be thankful. Thankful, that things have not gone exactly according to plan. Thankful, that God allowed something that helped me see clearly how blessed I really am (no, I do not think God caused COVID . . . I’ve explained that before . . . we live in a fallen and broken world . . . but also, He didn’t exactly stop it, and I do believe He can and will use it for good).

My marriage and family life have been no exception to the effects of a worldwide pandemic. When COVID took my plans for 2020 and threw them all out the window, I had a choice, I could get completely upset and annoyed as I’m prone to do when things don’t go according to plan, or I could embrace and take advantage of the opportunity afforded me. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not sad that school is back in session (please, never close schools again . . . ever as long as my children are of school age . . . thank you and amen), and I’m very grateful that our real estate business is up and running, but I won’t deny the blessings we were given and the lessons learned, through this pandemic, as both a family and a couple.

And all of this has been running through my head because of news headlines that have flashed across my computer screen over the past 24 hours. More than one has read “Divorce Rates Skyrocket . . . “, and that, coupled with yet another story of infidelity and heartbreak amongst Christian leaders, made me immensely sad but also made me stop and ponder. I can’t help but wonder, what’s the difference? Because I’ve seen two extremes in the midst of this pandemic. It seems it’s either pushed people closer to one another or torn them apart, and I have to wonder what’s the dividing line? Not just in the middle of a pandemic, but throughout life in general. Because we see it time and again, people seem to have it all, huge ministries, thriving businesses, financial stability, a seemingly perfect life, and yet, behind the scenes it’s an utter disaster. But the the difference, the dividing line, both within the church and out of it, is God and doing it God’s way which isn’t always the popular way.

Here’s the thing, I’m not particularly a romantic in the sense that I believe that God has one and only one person for everyone, and if you miss that person you’ve pretty much ruined your chances for life. If you’re married to someone they are that person. Of course, as always, barring adultery, emotional or physical abuse, and/or abandonment, and if you are divorced, whether that be very recently or many years ago, there’s always forgiveness and redemption and the hope of second . . . and third . . . and fourth chances in Jesus so don’t let your past determine the course of your future. I do believe, hopefully with God’s guidance and wisdom, that we have the free will to choose who we want to be with for life, whom it is we marry, and whether or not we’re going to see that relationship through. And y’all if God says “no” there’s always a good reason, but also, I believe He will help us find a spouse that will be very good for us if we allow that. Love and being “in love” is a choice. It’s a choice we make each morning from the second we open our eyes and our feet hit the floor. It’s not an emotion that ebbs and flows, that comes and goes. Because the honeymoon will end, and real life is just that . . . real life . . . with bills, and work, and laundry, and kids to raise . . . all those not so exciting, somewhat boring, mundane things. And ultimately, it takes two people, choosing that they’re both going to put forth the effort to make a marriage really work.

As we round the corner into 2021, which for the record, I’m sure will hold a whole new unique and special set of challenges, I’m very grateful for my husband and kids, and that even when things aren’t good, they are very good. Even when the storms of life rage, we have a solid and firm foundation in Christ. I don’t think we’re special or lucky or the experts on marriage or family. Not even close because we are far from perfect, but I do believe God gives us pretty clear guidelines for both married and family life. You either choose to follow them, or you’re going to have a pretty rough time. You choose to make a conscious decision to do the work, with God leading, that it takes to be successful, and when you do mess up, you apologize and let the Holy Spirit show you how to do better. Frankly, all of that also takes a level of flexibility that only God can give a person like me. And fyi: I have to apologize, to both my husband and my kids, more than I care to admit . . . because as I pointed out earlier . . . I’m not perfect, but I am determined to do things God’s way even if it means trying again and again and again . . . until, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I get it right.

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, Love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Colossians 3:18-21

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:22-33

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author

I have a shirt that says, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

The original author of this quote is unknown, but the concept has been around since biblical times.

I was reading Romans 14 the other day, and the whole chapter struck me as especially applicable to this year and this time in which we live. A letter, penned by Paul, to the early church, thousands of years ago, yet the message has not changed.

“Now accept the one who weak in faith, but not to have quarrels over opinions.” (Romans 14:1)

“For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:7-10)

Breaking down vs 1 a little more, “Now accept the one who is weak in the faith, [but] not for [the purpose of] passing judgment on his opinions.”

Sidebar: There are a number of clearly black and white things established in the word of God . . . things that the bible makes abundantly clear are sin without any compromise or question. And if the Bible establishes something as sin, then that is final. There’s no question about it, but I can acknowledge sin while still being kind. As cliché as it may be, we absolutely are called to hate the sin and love the sinner. And fyi, we’re all sinners and our salvation only comes through the blood of Christ.

Having said that, there are a myriad of things . . . a lot of judgments passed both within the church and outside of it . . . a lot of quarrels and arguments we choose to have over things never mentioned in the bible . . . things that are in no way established as sin in God’s word. Not even close. Yet these are the hills on which we choose to take our stand. These are the hills on which we choose to die . . . and while that may seem melodramatic, it’s also very true. Because these quarrels, disagreements, and arguments kill relationships within the body of Christ. They divide churches and ruin our witness to the world. If we can’t get along within the church . . . if we can’t have grace and compassion and love for one another . . . what does that say to a world that is desperately searching for and seeking someone to heal their pain? And y’all, make no mistake, all the sin, the immorality, the headlong rush into sensuality and immoral pleasures . . . people are trying to fill a void that only Christ can fill. They are trying to mask a pain that runs deep and wide, and that can only be truly healed by the love of God.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have areas where our faith is strong, and likewise, we all will have areas where we struggle.

Enter Romans 14 . . . and if you haven’t read the chapter in its entirety, I encourage you to do just that.

We can look around us at the weaknesses of others . . . we can puff up and be proud of our own strengths (I’ve done it more than I care to admit) . . . we can make sure to tear others down with thinly veiled judgments and sarcasm . . . or we can come in and walk alongside one another in our weaknesses. Where our brothers and sisters are weak, we can be strong. And they can do the same for us. The church, the body of Christ, should not be the place where we’re afraid to admit our weaknesses. It should not be the place where we attack the moment we see even the smallest hint of fragility. No, instead, it should instead be the place where we swoop in to love and offer grace upon grace. A place where we feel the safe to admit our struggles and seek the strength and encouragement of others in our most vulnerable moments. The “church” should be the safest place on earth. A place where kindness reigns. Not that we ever sacrifice what is right and good, but that we acknowledge what is right in such a way that we help one another to become more like Christ with each passing moment.

As I was thinking on these words from Romans, I remembered a song we used to sing when I was a teenager in youth about a million years ago . . . a song Chris Tomlin wrote long before everyone knew who Chris Tomlin was,

"You're my brother, you're my friend. 
You're my beginning, you're my end.
You're all around me when the world turns and walks away.
You're my sunshine on a cloudy day,
You're the rain that washed the blues away. 
I can always count on you.
You're my brother.
You're my friend."*

And that’s it. We can either be there for one another. Or not. We can either be the one that builds others up or the one that tears them apart. We can support others in a way that helps them grow in faith and strength through encouragement and grace. Or not. We can be kind when it’s easiest to be anything and everything but. Or not. The choice is ours.

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author

* Chris Tomlin – Album, Inside Your Love, “Brother Friend”, 1995

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving always feel a bit manic to me. And even in the midst of a pandemic, where many of our normal activities have been put on hold or cancelled, it seems there are more tasks to complete than there are hours in a day.

For the past couple weeks, bedtime with my youngest has been a struggle, and she’s needed her mama more than usual on most nights. Balancing that with all the things that still have to be done once she’s finally asleep left me feeling worn out and drained on more than one recent evening. Making myself sit quietly with her as she dozes off, while my mind is furiously rehearsing a to-do list a mile long, is not the easiest. And on this past Wednesday evening, after doing prep work and baking for one kiddo’s class Thanksgiving feast and wrestling the other, very tired but thankfully relatively calm and peaceful, child into bed and off to dreamland, I finished up all my normal, end of the day responsibilities, threw on my pjs, and sat down to write.

Only, I never actually got to the writing part. I never even opened my laptop. I realized, that for the first time in at least two weeks, I didn’t have anything that absolutely had to be done in that moment. And I literally could not remember the last time I just sat down and took a break. So rather than writing I spent the next hour with my kindle in hand and the tv on in the background.

I’ve said before I’m not great at resting. I’m actually horrible at it. And I’m 99.9999% certain there are more than a couple of mamas that can relate . . . yeah, I know you’re raising those hands . . . solidarity mamas. It always seems like there is something to do . . . something pressing that needs to be finished. But in addition to the flurry of activity and planning that the beginning of the holiday season always brings, these past couple of weeks have brought immense tragedy and grief and heaviness right here in our own little community. My prayers have been laced with pleas to God to comfort those who are mourning . . . to bring peace to those hurt deeply . . . and with those pleas there’s also been some perspective brought into my life.

Yet, another lesson in priorities, if you will. I know I keep coming back to this, but when God began to speak to me about priorities at the beginning of this year, I had no idea what was to come. And more than I could’ve ever predicted, 2020 has, indeed, been a lesson in sorting out what really matters and what needs to take second or third or even no place in my life.

This life is short. If we live 100 years, it’s still no more just the blink of the eye and a brief moment on the timeline of history. Ask any person that has been on this earth 80 plus years, and they’ll tell you that the reality is life really does “fly by”. The book of James says, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)

At the end of this of this year, I don’t want to look back and only see 2020 as an awful year that I couldn’t wait to get through. I don’t want to look back and see only the chaos that was endured . . . a pandemic . . . a hugely controversial and tumultuous election that brought immense anger and division . . . people we know and love losing friends and family in unexplainable and unimaginable ways . . . questions left unanswered this side of heaven . . . I want to look back and see all of that, to own and process it all because I don’t deny the reality of the hard and the grief and the heartbreak that has accompanied this year, and yet, still be able to say confidently, because I know it and live in it and believe it in the deepest parts of my soul, that God is good, and He does good. And He has brought, He is bringing, beauty from the ashes of 2020.

So, while I will still do all the things that need to be done because I cannot abandon all my responsibilities nor do I wish to . . . I will still write because not only do I love to write, but I feel like God has called me to write . . . I’ll also take the time to stop . . . to rest . . . to pray . . . to sit with a little girl who just needs her mama “a few more minutes” . . . to hug my 13 year old who might act like he’s too grown up for that nonsense but needs it now more than ever . . . to listen to my husband and be there to support him . . . to put more effort into my actual walk with God, my marriage, my kids than all the “things”, no matter how good they are, that must be accomplished. I’ll remember that the outward illusion of perfection is not the thing for which I should strive, and I am called to love people. Period. I am called to be the hands and feet of Jesus right here on this earth, in my community and in my home. And I’ll recall these words given to me from the book of Isaiah (5:20-21) as 2019 made way for 2020:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”.

Because while there are blatant and obvious instances of calling evil good and good evil, of trading light for darkness and putting bitter for sweet right in front of me on a daily basis, on a very personal level, it’s often in the little things . . . the misplacement of priorities . . . the assumption that I am wise and in control . . . where this sneaks in and slowly, but steadily, erodes away at my own life . . . I’ll be so bold as to say that it happens to all of us . . . it affects our marriages, our families, our relationship with God, and ultimately our own peace of mind and heart.

And if “it” doesn’t all get done, then that’s okay too. Life is far more than a checklist to be completed, and there are worse things than leaving tasks undone.

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author.

On this enormously pivotal day in the history of the United States, I have a million things I should be doing that really have nothing to do with elections, politics, or anything pertaining to the current climate in our country. They, instead, have everything to do with running our lives and this household in a way that is efficient and right for my family. But here I sit.

I awoke at 3:00 a.m. on this election Tuesday, and at first, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I was awake. Usually, when I wake up in the early morning hours, there’s stuff going on in our personal lives, and I know I just need to pray. Today, there was nothing truly personal, and yet, the state of our nation is hugely personal to me although I don’t always recognize that. And my heart is heavy with where we find ourselves at this moment.

Division . . .

Anger . . .

Heartbreak . . .

Pain . . .

Fear . . .

Have we ever been at this crossroads before? We’ve had vastly important elections. We’ve had moments in our nation that rocked our history and forever changed our landscape, but this exact crossroads? No, probably not this exact one.

And so, I prayed. I posted on my personal social media accounts that I prayed for healing, redemption, and mercy in our land. But the condensed version would be, I prayed, not so much about the election, but for revival.

This morning, as I sat drinking my coffee and praying a bit more, I decided to consult the good old Merriam-Webster Dictionary for the exact definition of revival:

Definition of revival

“1: an act or instance of reviving: the state of being revived: such as

a: renewed attention to or interest in something

b: a new presentation or publication of something old

c (1): a period of renewed religious interest (2): an often highly emotional evangelistic meeting or series of meetings

2: restoration of force, validity, or effect (as to a contract)”

As I read these definitions, I realized that our definitions of revival are very much influenced by our culture. Quite honestly, I think that even in the church we’re confused as to what revival really is. It’s not a serious of meetings, and there’s nothing wrong with meetings, but meetings do not a revival make. Nor is it just an over the top, outward emotional response where nothing changes inwardly. Revival certainly has emotions that accompany it . . . God gave us emotions so don’t get your feathers ruffled, but again, emotions also do not a revival make. And anything that is solely emotionally driven is not sustainable because emotions are fickle and ever-changing.

So I took a minute to read the definition of the word revive (again, many thanks to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary):

Definition of revive

“to return to consciousness or life : become active or flourishing again

1: to restore to consciousness or life

2: to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state : bring back

3: to renew in the mind or memory”

“Restore to . . . life . . . “

“Bring back . . . “

“Renew in the mind . . . “

“Become active or flourishing again . . . “

I’ve seen too many outward emotional responses that didn’t have the inward transformation. But when I read those words to “become active or flourishing again . . .”, those are the very definition of revival. Revival can start within the four walls of the church. It can also start at your kitchen table or on your living room sofa. It can start at 3:00 a.m. when you find yourself unable to sleep. But it’s not just a loud, outward change. It’s personal. It’s intimate. It’s an internal transformation of the heart that leads to outward evidence of change. It’s seen in our demeanor. It’s heard in our words. It’s witnessed in our actions. It’s obvious in our attitudes. It’s evident in our day to day life because as much as we want to complicate it or create something big and showy in it (because human nature loves a show), it’s simply in repentance (changing the direction you’re going) and letting the Holy Spirit do a work in us. It’s the act of bringing back to life that which is dead.

Evangelist “Gipsy” Smith (thusly named because he was of Roma ethnicity like my beautiful daughter . . . and this was the name he went by so no need to comment on that . . . but I digress) famously said, “Do you really want to see revival begin? Then go back to your home and draw a circle around you on the floor. Then get down on your knees in the middle of the circle and ask God to convert everybody inside that circle. When you do that, and God answers, you are experiencing the start of revival.”

No matter what this day, this year, or the next four years hold, our hope lies not in any political candidate. Yes, we all have feelings about how we want this day to go, but our hope, our foundation is found in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Because no matter what happens, He is still Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is still on the throne, and if we truly want change, in our hearts, in our homes, in our communities, and in our nation, it starts with us turning our lives fully over to Him. It starts with submission to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. And that holds more power and more sway than any election ever will.

“If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight.” Isaiah 5:20-21

When God gave me these scriptures at the start of 2020, I knew they were relevant in today’s society, I just had no idea how truly relevant they would end up being for this year. As we’ve watched our world and our society devolve into division, and strife, and at times, utter chaos, these words keep returning to my mind time and again.

But this isn’t just true on a large scale. These words are applicable in my own life on a very personal level. And the point at which I often find myself surprised, is that those things which can seem very good to us, even holy, can often cause pretty major damage in our lives if we’re not cautious . . . if we don’t let God guide us . . . and quite honestly, if we’re not willing to say “no” to certain things.

Evil – distress, misery, injury, calamity (from Strong’s 7451b – “ra”);

adveristy, calamity, disaster, evil, harm, harmful, hurt, ruin, surely, trouble, unpleasant, wickedly, wickedness (from the NAS Exhaustive Concordance/NASB Translation – same as “roa”)

Have you ever set out to do something . . . maybe something really good . . . maybe even something “holy”, as I said above . . . only to find yourself striving . . . only to find yourself struggling . . . only to find yourself trying to get through it in your own power because it’s not really something to which you should be giving yourself at that moment?

We all have a calling.

At the most basic level, my calling is always to serve Jesus and minister to those around me.

But how that looks for me has evolved and changed over time. And I’m sure it will continue to change as my life changes.

This year, in the midst of COVID and quarantines, and being forced to slow down, God has been teaching me so much about priorities.

1. God – Not church – Not ministry – Just God . . . fellowship with Him. A relationship with Him. Prayer and study and worship and seeking Him for guidance in both the big and the little things.
2. My Marriage – before my kids . . . I know some of y’all flip out about that, but putting your marriage before your kids ensures a much healthier view of marriage for them in the long run . . . before anything else but God.
3. My kids and our family as a unit – while I used to think that meant being at every meeting, every party, always volunteering . . . God has been showing me that, in this season of life, it’s about creating a home and an environment that is safe and nurturing for them.
4. Everything else – church, volunteering at school, writing, all the extras . . .

Priorities are why we’ve decided . . . and this is a personal decision that God has placed on my heart . . . that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone so do NOT read into this . . . that for now, I will not work and beyond that, I will limit my volunteer activities. Since Anna has come home, and we’ve learned to adjust to life with a precious and amazing child with some unique and different needs, my job and my calling is literally my family and by extension creating a home where they want to be. Not perfect . . . perfection is an illusion . . .but warm, nurturing, calm, and safe. And on most days, my biggest focus is doing all the things that need to be done, during the day, while the kids are at school and Patrick is at work so that we can guard our family time in the evenings. That’s not to say every night is family night, or we never have other things going on. Anna also goes to bed very early most nights (she leaves for school by 7:00 each morning), and that doesn’t leave a ton of room for “quality time” after school each day. But God has taught me to guard family time because these days are only for a season. There is something very sacred about these days and nights as a family, and it’s so important to me to cherish things like dinner together (most nights) and playing board games. Because honestly, as my kids grow up, I know this will change. I know these evenings at home will become less and less as their schedules become busier. I know one day, in the not so distant future, I’m going to launch my oldest out into the world.

And what God has compelled me to do and convicted me of in this season, and in my life going forward, is to remember to keep my priorities in order. To remember that I have to keep “first things first”, and I have to do what is best for my relationship with Him, my marriage, and my kids before anything else.

That means saying “no” more than I like sometimes . . . no to certain events, no to certain meetings, no to certain volunteering opportunities, no to certain extras, no to working . . . even when it seems like it could be a very good thing our “no” answers make room for the things God wants us to say “yes” to . . . yes to collecting donations and packing shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse . . . yes to heading up Orphan + Stand Sunday at church . . . yes to doing virtual read alouds for Anna’s class . . . yes to helping with certain parties and fundraisers for Andrew’s class . . . yes to, in the very near future, returning to teaching Sunday School . . . and yes, to other things that God is working on in my heart . . . but what I’ve learned is before I jump up and say “yes”, I need to stop and pray. I need to make sure that what seems like a very good thing, isn’t going to do more harm, either short or long term, than good for my family.

And not everyone will always understand that. In Priscilla Shirer’s devotional book Awaken, there’s a quote that says, “Yes, even Jesus – who (unlike us) could do everything – didn’t do everything. He only did the things assigned to Him. The divinely delegated things that were His to complete.”* What I’ve realized is before I’m called out into the world (to church, to the schools, to whatever it is demanding my time and attention), my most important calling, my divine delegation, if you will, is to my husband and children, and that’s no small thing. I do not take that lightly.

You can’t get second things by putting them first. You get second things only by putting first things first.

C.S. Lewis

* Awaken, Priscilla Shirer, Day 30 – One-Track Mind

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“Glory in” – to boast; I glory (exult) proudly (Strong’s 2744 – kauchaomai)

“Tribulations” – persecution, affliction, distress, tribulation (Strong’s 2347 – thlipsis)

Let’s be real honest here . . . this is not the passage of scripture that we look to for all the warm fuzzy feelings. Paul is telling us here to “glory in” tribulations . . . in persecution . . . in affliction . . . in distress . . .

I’ll be very clear. I don’t often find myself in this place. I don’t find myself boasting in things not going my way. I don’t find myself exulting in the hard.

Enter 2020.

While I’ve been able to see so much good in this crazy year that is 2020, I don’t think anyone can look at this year and miss that there has been some tribulation . . . some persecution . . . some affliction . . . some distress . . . and like most, there have been plenty of moments when I’ve wanted to just quit this whole year (not that you can really quit a year, but believe me I would’ve if I could’ve, and for me, quitting is more of a mindset than an action). Regardless, even with being able to see the good, I wouldn’t exactly say that I’ve “gloried” in these past 8ish months and the tribulations that accompanied them. Not even close. But I recently heard someone say, “Let’s not spend so much time wishing this year away that we miss what God is trying to do here.”

And yet, if we are to do what Paul says in Romans 5:3-5, we shouldn’t merely be surviving we should be glorying in the hard. We should be rejoicing in this whole, weird and strange, year. Why? Not because of the tribulation itself. But because of what can come from this tribulation.

Tribulation produces perseverance . . . endurance . . . steadfastness . . .

Perseverance produces character . . . in a world where people want to quit as soon the “going gets tough”, we desperately need the development of character. Because it’s that character that will see us through time and again.

And here’s the great part, every time you push through . . . every time you refuse to quit or give up in the face of tribulation . . . every time you persevere through the hard and allow character to be developed, you also get the benefit of hope. Hope that walks with you through each subsequent trial knowing that God will see you through. We are going to face trials and tribulations in this world. Jesus even said it, and rather than avoid them or hide from them or deny them, we need to face them.

When my son was four, we, maybe, a lot intentionally and a little unintentionally took him on a rather long hike in the Smoky Mountains . . . we knew it was long . . .we . . . okay, I . . . miscalculated how long. We passed no other children, much less four year olds on this hike, and it was definitely a challenge for him. Yet, no matter how difficult it was, he persevered. He never once sat down on that trail and tried to quit. As his little legs propelled him forward, and we encouraged him that he could, indeed, finish this entire trail, he could be heard repeatedly saying, “Never quit! Never give up!” And he didn’t. This was not only a moment of perseverance, but an experience that instilled character in my young four year old. He learned the importance of and the reward that comes from seeing something hard, something trying, through to the end.

And each time he perseveres through another challenge or tribulation . . . learning to play basketball, completing a difficult math assignment, writing a research paper . . . each time we come alongside him, and encourage him (and also occasionally say, “Hey bud, you’re doing great. We’re proud of you, and because we love you, we aren’t going to let you quit.”) . . . a little more character is developed in him. And beyond that a hope, and a confidence in that hope, that carries him through each trial and challenge that is to come.

So when you’re walking through tribulations, glory in them . . . glory in what they’re doing in you . . . glory in persevering . . . glory in the character that is being developed . . . and glory in the hope that comes from walking through and coming out on the other side of something hard. Because that’s when we really realize where our hope is found . . . in a Savior and a Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit that are unchanging and unwavering in the midst of an ever changing and very unsteady world, and no person or thing, no trial or tribulation, no heart ache or heartbreak, no hard moment, season, or even year, can take that hope away.

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author

It is the 15th day of October . . .

In the year of our Lord 2020 . . .

It’s 78 degrees outside . . .

Warm and muggy . . .

My 7 year old wants to listen to Christmas music . . .

And I’m here for it.

I’ve never been a “Christmas can only be after Thanksgiving” purist, but I’ve always kind of been of the mindset that you should at least wait until November.

But if 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter if someone wants to put up their Christmas decorations in October . . . or September.

It doesn’t matter if they want to celebrate their birthday all month long.

It doesn’t matter how many gifts someone chooses to give their children for any holiday . . . how they decorate their house . . . whether or not they own a television or prefer to read books . . . how many kids/pets/plants they have . . . if they eat ice cream for supper . . . none of it is my business.

It’s just crazy to me, the things we pass judgment on that honestly do. not. matter.

That really have no moral or ethical implications.

The things we think make people right or wrong . . . that are nothing more than preferences or opinions.

There are things in the this world that matter. There are battles worth fighting and hills on which we absolutely need to die. But a lot of the things we make a big deal about just don’t matter.

So decorate your house for Christmas today or tomorrow or at the end of November. Let your kids have ice cream for supper or don’t. Paint your house pink (but check with your HOA first ;)).

Worry about the things that matter, but also don’t sweat the things that don’t. Because life is just way too short to create major issues out of minor things and pass judgment on things that really do not matter.

Copyright 2020, Courtney G Davis, All Rights Reserved 

The writings and images contained within this site are the intellectual property of this writer unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or used without express permission of the author.