Two Cups of Tea

Hebrews 13:1-2 1Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.



When I recommitted my life to Jesus it was like a fireworks show in my head. There was new light, new revelation, new thoughts, it was overwhelming to me. I would devour the word and never get satisfied, always wanting more and more. I was learning a lot. One afternoon I was reading and two gentlemen appeared at my door. I peaked out a window and recognized their dark suits immediately; there they stood armed with religious tracts and a speech of how I needed to amend my ways so that I could be among the “chosen”. Ugh! Here we go again, these people never give up. So fresh off my newfound faith, my intense bible study, and my renewed mind: I open the door and said with more than a little condemnation, NO Thanks! Slamming it shut before they had a chance to say a word.

I sat back down with my coffee, my bible, irritated that they had interrupted my precious time with Jesus. Suddenly I heard a voice in my head, “Make two cups of tea. Put your coat on. Go outside.” So there I sat stunned! I mean the voice was so clear I had to look around and see if someone was in the room with me. I decided to do what any normal person would do when they hear a voice in their head (ha ha) I followed the instructions exactly and as I opened the door, there they were just walking past my house. The two young men I had earlier blessed with my not so Christian attitude. I ran out to them not having a clue as to what to say, breathed a quick, Let Your words come out of my mouth Lord prayer and Said,” I made you some tea. I’m a new Christian. I’ll pray for you.” They wanted to know if they should give the cups back. Now I hadn’t thought that far ahead, so I said, Uh….no keep the cups and when you use them say a prayer for me.

I went back inside they went on their way. I learned more in that 5 minutes then I learned the whole day, shut up in my house reading the bible safe in my little world. I learned, compassion, I learned you have to leave your comfort zone; I learned to listen to God’s voice. But the question isn’t what are you learning; It is you taking what you are learning and applying it to your life. James 1:22 puts it simply; Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Are you living Gods word out or are you selfishly acquiring knowledge without putting it into practice. My friend and I have come to know this day as the “Two Cups of Tea day” and whenever we encounter God in an unusual or different way we call each other and say, I just had a “two cups of tea day”! It has served as a reminder for me to listen to His voice, to practice my faith, to step out of my comfort zone, even if it’s just to give a stranger a cup of tea!



Father, Thank you for giving me a second chance to show someone your love, instead of being rude and condemning. Thank you for your word and how you care for us, even in the small things. I have never seen those young men again Lord, but I pray that one day, when I am walking with you in heaven I will. I pray that because of your instruction a difference was made in their life. I thank you for your patience in us and that your mercy and grace are new everyday. Father, may we continue to listen to your still small voice and not be afraid to leave our comfort zone. In Jesus name, Amen

The Garden

The Garden

A few years before my husband became a believer I planted a flower garden (anyone who knows me knows that this was a huge step of faith as I do not plant!) in an effort to prove to him that God hears ours prayers. I told my hubby I would never even have to work in it or weed it because I had prayed over it and God would do the work for me. He watched with guarded optimism as I began planting. Its true! God could have prevented any weeds from cropping up and he could have done all the work, but in this case that wasn’t the PLAN, at least it wasn’t God’s plan! A few weeks into my “garden of faith” a weed bigger than I have ever seen before grew up smack dab in the middle of all the beautiful array of flowers. I was confused and irritated. I couldn’t believe God would let me down like this. I had the perfect plan; my husband was going to become a believer out of this! What was God thinking?! Reluctantly, I went outside and got to work. I pulled and plucked, I raked and hoed, since I was already on my knees I figured it was a good time to talk to the real gardener of the family; Jesus. I had a lot to say, like what was wrong with my plan; didn’t he see what a good opportunity this was to teach my husband; and why didn’t he answer my prayer? I kept digging and weeding, my hands were dirty, my knees were hurting, and the sun was beating down on me. Then it hit me, you all know the “it” I am talking about. It’s the “it” of God when he reveals to you something knew, something you were missing, a weed in your perfectly planned garden of life. People, like gardens, take work; we can’t just plant and forget. We have to take time to tend to them, to water them, to weed them. We have to get down on our hands and knees, sweating, digging and getting dirty for them. We have a responsibility to do something with what we know. Faith requires us to take action. James 2:17 says, even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. When we don’t take action when it is needed, Sin, just like a weed in a flower garden will take root in our lives and grow and grow until the beauty of our life is choked out from being unattended.


Father, thank you for your faithfulness, for your patience in me as I grow to learn what it is you require of me. Remind me to take the time to weed my own garden so that I can be a blessing to others and help them to weed theirs. Father, stop me and correct me when I don’t live up to the responsibilities you have entrusted me with. I pray, Lord, that I won’t be afraid to get down and dirty for the people in your garden. Jesus, we look forward to the time when we can walk in your perfect garden with you and enjoy the fruits of our labor. In your precious name, Amen.



Take sometime this week to “weed” your garden. Read over James and pray for God to show you areas in your own life you need to cleanup. Maybe there is someone you have neglected; maybe it’s a friend, a spouse, or a stranger that you haven’t followed up on a commitment with. Take time this week to make it right. Get down and dirty for Him! Let’s weed those gardens ladies!



James2:14-17 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? )If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

Faith Requires Action

Faith Requires Action

James 4:7-10 (NIV)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.



I love this passage in the book of James. It is full of action words. Submit! Resist! Grieve! Mourn! Wail! Change! Humble! If we want to have a fulfilling rich life in Christ then we must take action. It requires more than sitting in church for 45 minutes on Sunday to listen to the service. It involves more than ABF cookouts, more than polite conversation on Sunday morning, more than carelessly throwing around “I’ll pray for you” responses. But to have faith, the kind of faith that impacts others and ourselves, we must take action. It must be bold, and on purpose. It is the kind of faith that changes you and those around you; the book of James states it clearly. SUBMIT yourselves to God! RESIST the devil

I did a quick search on the Greek definition of the word submit. It certainly doesn’t describe a nonchalant attitude that most of us tend to present to others about our faith. Here’s what it says; A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

I had to ask myself; am I truly giving God all that I have and actively seeking Him? Am I submitting my everyday ordinary life to Him each and every day?

The word resist in the Thompson Chain Reference concordance has this definition; 1 to set one's self against, to withstand, resist, and oppose 2 to set against Whoa! Am I setting myself against the devil? Or do I tip toe around him trying not to stir anything up? Do I take a stand against him? Or have I called a truce with him, forgetting 1John 4:4 that says; you, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.



Father-I thank you for the support that I have with my church family. I thank you for cook-outs, get- togethers, and fun times, but Lord help me to stretch myself and take me beyond that. I know you have created me for more. Be with me as I strive to serve you whole heartedly and not just when it is convienent. Forgive me Lord for the times I have taken what you did on the cross for me and turned it into a show for others to see instead of being honest and real about my life. Help me Lord to truly resist the devil, and to submit to you in all areas of my life. In your precious name- Amen

Living Life Inside OUt

I named this blog Inside Out because I believe that is how God has called us to live. Inside Out. To take what is on the Inside and share it on the outside. How else can we show others what God has done in our lives? How else can we show His mercy and grace? His never ending love for us if we do not share with others the wonderful work He has done in our lives? Failure and success, mistakes and mis-steps. The good and the bad. Living transparent. Bringing glory to God the Father by sharing whats on the inside, out. I like the way the Message translation puts it; Romans 12:1 Here's what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, developes well formed maturity in you. We have all been called to the mission field in one way or another, Matthew 28:18-20 commands us to "...go and make disciples...".  Does it matter how many ministry teams we are on? How much time we invest? How much money we give? Does any of that matter if we are not sharing the reason for our hope? 1Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.
Lord, many times I have failed to give an answer for the hope I have. Too may times I have missed opportunities to share my heart, my life, my faith with those I come in contact with. Father, help me to recognize those opportunities when they come. Help me to see my life as a mission field. I pray that nothing would keep me from sharing the love you have have for all your children. I thank you for your mercy and grace.  I thank you for your forgiveness and your patience in me. Thank you for your promise to go before me, to never leave me , never forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:8The Lord himself goes before you  and will be with you; He will never leave you nore forsake you. Do not be afraid;Do not be discouraged.) In Jesus name, amen!



If I viewed my life as a mission field every day, how would that change my perception of the people I come in contact with?

What can I do or say today that will bring honor and glory to God?

If Jesus asked you who do you know that needs to hear how much I love them, that I died just for them? Who would you say? If He asked you what did you do about it? What would you say?


Decide today to take a hard look at your life, to really think about the importance of sharing the hope you have. What good is it to believe in God if we aren't sharing with others the wonderful work he has done in our lives?