Category: Admonition

Not a Chameleon

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture1 Comment

We were created by God to be noticed by others, especially non-believers. Our witness to them should stick out, so much so that they want to know why we are “different.” If we are just like everyone else in the world, then how do we convince others that they should be like us and follow Jesus? The answer is that we are living in this world, but we are called to separate ourselves from it. We are called to be different, the spokespeople of the Lord of the Universe.

We are not created to be like a chain of paper dolls, all looking and sounding the same. We each have our own distinct physical features and we are all called to share our own unique testimony about the Lord and His gift of salvation to us personally. God doesn’t want robots; He desires the people whom He created to have a relationship with Him, the Creator. Then, He wants us to share the relationship we have with others so that they can come to know Him, too.

Can you see it? There is a chameleon in this photo. We are not supposed to blend in like this so others don’t notice us at all. We are people, created in God’s image, to represent Him to the world. We aren’t trying to hide from the dangers the world presents, although that might not be a bad idea sometimes. We aren’t supposed to blend in with the sinful people, but rather, we should be representatives of the One who has called us to be holy. We are supposed to be so different that others want to know why we are filled with joy during challenging times, not cursing God because of the weather and giving God the credit for all of our blessings instead on insisting that our own effort brought our success. There is only one me, only one you. And that was planned by our loving Heavenly Father.

Remember What God Has Done

On By vickleaIn Admonition, praise, Scripture, Song2 Comments

We could all sit around some days and have a little pity party about all of the bad things that are happening in our lives and in the world around us. We could lament the fact that we prayed, but we haven’t gotten an answer yet. (At least, not the one we expected or wanted).

How about instead of a pity party, we have a praise celebration? Instead of thinking about all the negatives, start thinking about what God has already done for you (and for this sinful world). Satan certainly doesn’t want us to remember so I think he tries to block our memory of the good things and puts the bad things at the forefront of our minds. We need to purposely choose to think of the good things, as Philippians says:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/php.4.8.NIV

It is when we start remembering what God has already done that we have a testimony to share and a faith that cannot be quenched! So, let’s get out of the pits of despair and stand on that mountain of faith that God created for us to stand on.

This is my prayer for you and for myself and it is a memory verse that I have been working on this week.

Do you enjoy Crowder songs? This is one of my favorites because it reminds me not to “get amnesia” but to focus on what God has already done!

Good God Almighty-Crowder

From YouVersion Daily Refresh, June 21, 2025

On a Mission for God

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Book Review, Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

The Mission of God

All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building their career, or amassing possessions.

While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.

In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.

For Paul, God’s grace and salvation are so great that nothing on this earth is as important as God’s work.

Paul says that nothing in His life matters as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIV

The mission of God is not opposed to growing families or building careers. In fact, God desires for us to use those opportunities to faithfully accomplish the mission of God. We can raise families in the way of God, and we can tell our coworkers about God’s grace. Any place we find ourselves can be an opportunity to accomplish the mission of God.

Take a moment to consider your own life and where you spend your time. Are you using every opportunity you have to spread the good news of Jesus? Does your life, like Paul’s, point toward God?

Consider a few ways that you can begin to change your perspective and live your life on mission for God.

My Thoughts

My first thought when I read this Daily Refresh today from the YouVersion Bible App was twofold. One, I am too old and tired to even think about being on a mission for God. And two, how can He use me when I can barely stand for longer than a few minutes and seldom see people socially?

Of course, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to my heart and told me without hesitation that God uses everyone who is available. I just have to make myself available. After all, He has already called each of us to fulfill the Great Commission. I have received my “orders” so now I have to make a plan.

So, I thought to myself. Who needs to hear about Jesus that is someone in my circle of influence? So many names and faces came to my mind! After all, I have been praying for them for a long time. The Holy Spirit is prodding me into action, using the knowledge I have from God’s Word and the testimony that I live daily, to encourage people like my sister, our son and his family and my brother to establish a relationship with God. I don’t know how it will happen, but I know that I am on a mission for God and He will help me speak the right words at the right time.

I’m excited to know deep in my heart and soul that God isn’t finished with me yet and that I have a job to do. I hope that you have discovered this truth, also, and look forward to your testimonies of how God is using you to reach others for Christ.

I don’t know how long I have on this earth, but I do know that God has left me here to do His work, so I plan to do it to the best of my ability. I’m no Paul, but I’m a Vickie with a purpose and a mission!

What We Can Learn from Turtles

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture4 Comments

I am fairly certain that at some point in your life, you have seen a turtle meandering across the road. Perhaps you even put on your flashers and got out to help it. What I am amazed at is the advice that if you move a turtle, you should move it in the direction it was headed. Turtles have a compass. One really good site I found information about this is:

https://www.turtleguardians.com/2020/07/turtles-know-where-they-are-going/

Quoting from this article:

If you are familiar with turtles and practiced in the art of helping them across roads, you are probably aware that turtle conservation groups and experts urge rescuers to move turtles across the road in the direction they are facing when found. Why is this? When you find a turtle crossing a road coming from a lush wetland, heading towards a dry rocky outcrop, doesn’t it make the most sense to turn it around and place it back in the wetland? Even though your natural instincts might tell you to turn a travelling turtle around and put them in a more “turtle-friendly” habitat, this will actually result in the turtle having to cross the road again when they inevitably turn around to head back the way they were going. To understand why turtles will turn back around if you take them off course, you need to know how turtles navigate.

Turtles are excellent navigators within the areas they are familiar with, ie. their “home ranges.” These home ranges include their yearly nesting site (if female), their overwintering grounds, and the wetlands they frequent during their active season. In the early years of their lives turtles will create ‘mental maps’ of their home areas, and it appears that as turtles age they lose this ability to create new mental maps (Caldwell and Nams 2006). Adult turtles tend to rely on their internal compass to navigate through their home range that they know well and have previously “mapped.”

So what do turtles’ mental maps and internal compasses have to do with always making sure to help them across roads in the direction they are facing? Well, everything! Because turtles are such good navigators, when you find them crossing a road, they are heading some where specific – don’t think for a second they are just wandering or confused!! They know where they are going – even if they are heading somewhere that seems to you like poor turtle habitat.

Now, let’s apply the turtles’ mental compasses to our lives as Christians. We can certainly learn from them how to keep our lives on course and keep traveling in the right direction, even when a well-meaning person (or even a temptation) gets us off course by moving us away from our destination. Our journey is one that does not take a few hours and one in which we can put the address into our GPS and just follow it. No, our journey is a spiritual one and to arrive at our ultimate destination, i.e. heaven with our Father, we have to stay focused. Our compass is God’s Word and the more we have it inside of us, the more likely we are to stay on course and not deviate from God’s plans for our lives. Like the turtle, others may try to “help” us and give us advice that is not Biblically based, so it is not sound advice that we should be taking. They are trying to move us in a direction in which we should not be going. So, what are we to do? Stay in God’s Word! When in doubt, pray and consult God’s Word. God is leading us in the right direction if we just follow. He has gifted turtles with the ability to know their home range. He has gifted us with His word so that we can stay on track and keep moving towards our eternal home.

Tuesday Prayer: Worrying

On By vickleaIn Admonition, prayer, testimony1 Comment

My Thoughts and Prayer

I know many of you don’t need this prayer on a daily basis, but I confess that I do. I was raised in an environment where worry was a part of everyday life and it was almost like it was expected. As a result, I joined in at an early age, worrying about mundane childish things. As I got older, my worry increased. I wanted to make good grades and was anxious that I wouldn’t be able to, that I would disappoint my perfection-demanding mother. So, I strived, oh, how I strived! College was the same. Then, after college, I became a Christian, but I still did not let my worry habit go. If anything, it increased as I faced the challenges of raising children, working a full-time job and having my husband constantly deployed with the military. Nevertheless, I did pray, probably almost unendingly, to the point that I felt as though I was having a conversation with God all day and that He was the only One keeping me going. Nowadays, I still fret, I still worry, but I have learned a new habit. When a worrisome thought comes in, I counter it with a scripture verse or a prayer of thanksgiving for all God has done and is doing. Does that mean I “have arrived” and I don’t worry anymore? I wish I could say that is true. What it means is that I am leaning into God a lot because I am a worrier. I can blame it on genetics, family habits or whatever, but it is a habit that I don’t want to have but can’t seem to break. Thus, I pray, I memorize and cite scripture verses. I don’t think there is a “magic bullet” to cure me of this malady, but I do like this part of the prayer from today’s Daily Refresh Devotional on the You Version App, so I am making it mine.

“Please replace worry with peace, anxiety with hope and concern with confident trust.” May we all press into God as He will also draw closer to us. May He be as close as our next prayer and shape us into the confident, worry-free and hopeful children He created us to be. ~Amen.

Come Like A Child

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

Think Like a Child (Daily Refresh, YouVersion, 6-02-25)

Think about the greatest person you’ve ever met. What is it about the person that makes them stand out to you? Maybe it’s their accomplishments, their character, their power or wealth, or the way they handle hard situations.  

Now compare that impressive person to a child in your life. According to Jesus, anyone who is truly great in His kingdom will be like that little child. In fact, to even enter into His kingdom, we need to be childlike. Here’s why: 

– Children rely on others to meet their needs. Little children instinctively know that they are vulnerable and helpless. They aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it because they know that help from the right person is their source of strength.

– Children don’t care about acquiring power. They don’t view others as threats to their authority because they don’t have any authority to threaten. Everything a child has is given to them.

– Children know who they belong to. Children know who to run to when they’re hurt, afraid, overwhelmed, happy, confused, or joyful. When they know they are loved, they approach their parent figures with authenticity and confidence. They know they can come just as they are, and receive what they need.

As we grow older, we tend to lose our childlike innocence … but we don’t have to. By surrendering our desires for power, fame, and authority, we position ourselves to receive Jesus’ power and authority. By recognizing that we need Jesus, we are able to let go of the pride that might keep us from His presence. And when we know that we belong to Jesus, we can approach God with childlike confidence. 

We don’t have to bring anything impressive to God—we simply need to come to Him.   

So today, what would it look like for you to approach God with the humility and confidence of a small child? Perhaps this means honestly telling Him what you need. Maybe it looks like asking Him a deeply vulnerable question. Or perhaps it starts with trusting that He loves you and isn’t mad at you. Whatever step you need to take, know that God is waiting for you to come to Him just as you are.

My Thoughts

I must confess that as I grow older, I have lost my childlike wonder. I remember seeing things differently, as if everything I saw, I was seeing for the very first time. That is how I felt in the presence of our youngest grandson when I cared for him for four months. The wonder in those little eyes as I pointed out new things to him. A squirrel on the back porch fascinated him. A wildflower was a source of delight. I want to be like him, finding wonder and delight in the small things that God has provided for my pleasure.

I also want to be like my other grandchildren, older but who have the complete assurance that their needs will be met and that they can totally rely on the adults who care for them them and love them. That is the kind of assurance and dependence I want in my relationship with God.

I have often read this scripture but didn’t really meditate on what it means to me. Today, I did and I want to be like that child who knows the Father is a good, good Father who wants what is best for me and who is always there for me.

A Cheerful Giver

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture2 Comments

God provides for each of us so that we can in turn provide for others. He gives us time, talents and money and wants us to be generous with them. Instead, we tend to be insular, hoarding things “just in case we need them.” That is not God’s way!

Suppose God saw that you have a need and decided to wait or to hold onto His bounty “just in case” someone else needed it more. God owns everything, so He can bless everyone. He teaches us the concept of giving in the person of His ultimate sacrifice, giving His Son that we might have eternal life. So, who are we to say that we will just hold onto what we have and wait to see if we need it. There are people today who need what we can give. We may not be able to give much, but we can give something.

The great thing about giving is that honestly, once you have given, you won’t miss it. I have found that God blesses me in the most unexpected ways and at the most surprising times, if only I will open my hands and give. But I have to give with the right spirit, one of cheerful optimism, knowing that God will use what I give in a way that will bless others more than I can imagine. Talents? Use them for God. Time? Dedicate it to God. And money, that thing we have a tendency to hold on to? Don’t let money be the thing that stands between you and God’s blessing. Let it go and see what He will do.

When the Holy Spirit urges you to give, just do it, with a smile on your face and a light heart. Don’t expect to be repaid but rather give thinking you may never get repaid. The blessing you think you deserve won’t come the way you expect it or when you are demanding it, but it will come in God’s time and in proportion to your faithfulness.

God meets your needs when you meet the needs of others. It is the cycle of giving that God started and He wants us to continue it. I am not saying what to give or to whom to give, but I am saying that giving should be part of your Christian walk.

Have a blessed day! And may you give as the Spirit tells you of your time, talent and money.

Finishing Well

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/53242/day/144

Many of us did not start our lives on the right path, but no matter where or how we started, we can finish well. Instead of being like King Saul who started well and finished badly, let’s strive to be like Paul, who started as Saul persecuting the Christians, but who finished well as a follower of Jesus. Let us all strive to finish well, keeping our eyes on the prize ahead of us.

A Life that Reflects His Love

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, Song3 Comments

It is very easy to get busy with our own lives and forget that there are people who need help. We say we will pray for them, but do we? When is prayer not enough? We have quickly discovered that we can send money to a good cause and our conscience about helping others is assuaged. Jesus did not say to send money. He said to “go.” I am guilty of being one of those who tends to be insular, staying at home and sending money. I want to be more active, to look around and see the needs of others and to meet them if I can. And if I cannot, I want to find someone who can. There is so much evil and greed in the world. I want to reflect Jesus with my love, a heart of compassion and real caring. How do I do that? I don’t know, but I am willing to find out. So, my heart’s cry is “Send me.”

Send Me-Jenn Johnson with Chris Quilala

Please take the time to listen to the words of this song. Our answer to God should always be “yes” before He even asks. After all, He sought us out before we even knew Him.