A TIME TO RE-ASSESS

Aloha Ladies,

Ecclesiastes 3:3 “A time to break down, and a time to build up.”

“We may have areas of our personal lives, work, relationships, finances, or life trajectory in which we need to stop, pause, and see if we’re still on track for what God has designed for us.”

New Years is the time most people think about making resolutions regarding changes.  We need to take time to reassess aspects in our lives both generally and specifically.  Every once and a while it’s good to stop and take a good look at your life and examine where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going.

As you reevaluate your life, ask the Lord if you need to make any changes. This requires us to seek God. Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” If you seek God with all your heart, you will find Him.  Jeremiah 29:13

God may have something new or different for you that’s so much better than you could have ever thought possible!

It also requires us to submit every area of our lives to God.

It’s good to know what Season you’re in.  It may be a time where you need to build up, expand, and start something new.  Or it may be a time where you need to break down and downsize.

Let’s look at the life of Gideon. He felt insignificant and was probably quite surprised when God had an angel sit with him under a tree announcing, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.”  God wanted Gideon to look at the situation through His eyes.  He had doubts and insecurities, but he listened to God and trusted God more than what he saw or how he felt!  He even downsized the army of Israelites before going to war.  He overcame fear by the Lord’s encouragement and in realizing God is sovereign. Gideon and his army of 300 defeated the large army of Midianites.  God gave them the victory! Judges 6, 7

“Knowing what season we’re in-a time to downsize or a time to expand-requires us to seek God.  The best way to reassess our lives is to prayerfully submit everything to God and live wide-eyed to the ways He answers.”

Song: “Who Am I” Casting Crowns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU_rTX23V7Q

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

A TIME TO HEAL

Aloha!

Ecclesiastes 3:3 “A TIME TO HEAL”

“God longs to bring healing and restoration in every area of our lives.  We can entrust ourselves to God as our Healer.”

We are spirit, soul, and body.  A physical surface wound may heal quickly.  A broken heart or emotional wound may take a very long time to heal.  God cares about minor and major wounds.  Whether you have a scraped knee or have just had open heart surgery, God cares about you!

My Aunt Lora’s marriage seemed like a fairy tale at the beginning.  She looked like a beautiful princess with her ivory skin and long dark hair.  Her beautiful voice was so incredible, that as a child I remember it brought tears to my eyes.  She married a brilliant, handsome man.  It looked like they were going to live happily ever after.  Little did they know their lives were about to change.

3 weeks after their marriage, they were in a horrific car accident.  It exploded almost instantly when another car hit them.  Her husband burned his hands and arms dragging my unconscious aunt out of the car.  Having 3’rd degree burns on her face and hands, my aunt suffered through years of horror, suffering, and pain.

Her life did not end there. Doctors told her she would never sing again. They said she would never play the piano again. When her life was at its darkest moment, God still had his hand on her and had a plan for her life.

While in the burn unit, my mom would visit and shared the Holy Spirit with her.  There was a small flicker of hope in all of her living nightmare.  Over months and years of surgeries, God began to heal her in her spirit, soul, and body.

To emphasize the degree of this, she was trained in singing and in theater.  She also trained other opera singers.  It was no easy task to live through this hellacious experience.  God is faithful!  He was with her through the fire.

In spite of what happened and what the Doctors said, to this day, my beautiful Aunt Lora plays the piano and sings to the glory of God.  She has a prophetic ministry and travels the world sharing Jesus in a powerful way!  She and her husband are living testimonies!  http://www.celebrationministries.com/

God gives hope to the hopeless.  He heals the broken hearted.  He’s with us through every storm we will ever face.  God is alive and is very real.  He wants us to know Him as our Healer.

If you don’t know Jesus personally, as your Savior, please accept Him and make Him Lord of your life today. Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

If you haven’t received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, ask God to fill you today. Acts 2:4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

If you need healing in any part of your life, ask God to heal you today.  1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:  by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Song: Jeremy Camp – “Healing Hand of God” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7psceANMWgw

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

A TIME TO TRANSITION

Aloha!

Ecclesiastes 3:2 “A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.”

“Whether you’re a fan of change or one who tries to resist it at all costs, everyone inevitably faces seasons of transition in life.”

Some people love change with the excitement that comes with it!  Change can stress others out who prefer a regular routine.  How do you respond to change?

If you’re a mom, you know that you have to go through TRANSITION in having a baby.  It’s uncomfortable, but when the baby is born, you know it was well worth it!

There is a time for planting and uprooting.  We may be in a time of stability where we’re planted in a community and have a church home where we can be a part of what God is doing right where we are.  We also may be in a time of uprooting where we’re being transplanted and moving to another place and are going through all the changes that come with transition: new church, new job, new community.  God is with us at all times and Jesus is closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24  F.R.O.G.  Fully Rely On God at all times!

My husband is a cutting edge type person and also a point man in life and ministry. He thrives amidst change and is continually looking forward to what’s next.  Whether living on the mainland or here in Hawaii, I’m a happy home body and I dislike change.  I continually commit whatever I face to the Lord and trust God in every area. We both love the Lord and desire all God wants to do in and through us in all our lives.  Because of our commitment to each other and to the Lord, we are able to trust God and walk through life’s very uncomfortable transitions together.

God is in control!  Committing your way to the Lord means you are giving God control.  In the good times and the bad, we need to trust God!

Genesis 47:1-12 Joseph was sold by his jealous brothers into slavery.  He was lied about by Potiphar’s wife and spent years in prison.  Joseph faced unfair challenges and went through many trying transitions.  God was with Joseph the whole time!  Joseph interpreted the King’s dreams and ended up saving his repentant family when famine came.  He was also appointed as Pharaoh’s right-hand man!

“Change isn’t easy for most people.  But rest assured that whenever you face a time of transition, God is with you.  He longs to see you flourish and to bring you to a more fruitful life in Him.”

Song: “Jesus, Take the Wheel” Carrie Underwood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydBPm2KRaU

Times of Refreshing Blog:  georgewblack.com

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

A TIME FOR NECESSARY ENDINGS

Aloha!

Ecclesiastes 3:2  “A time to die.”

“We all have moments in our lives when we sense God calling us to leave something behind in order to lay hold of the something new God has for us.”

It’s beautiful to watch a Hawaiian sunset!  The sun is high in the sky and so bright you can hardly look at it.  As it goes down slowly disappearing into the ocean, the sky fills with cotton candy colors that soon become incredibly vibrant!  With the sun gone, the once bright sky, changes to darkness.  The setting sun marks the end of the day.

Tomorrow the sun will rise again and we will begin a new day.

Life is full of change.  Similarly to the changing seasons, life also changes.  It’s necessary and good, yet there’s something inside us that wants to hold on to the familiar.  We need to let go and trust God as we reach forward to what’s ahead.

Sometimes an ending may be a job change.  You may need to move locations or do a different job.  We’ve lived in the suburbs, in the country, and now live on an island.  Each move wasn’t always easy.

Letting go of the familiar can be challenging, but is necessary in transitioning to what’s next.

There are other endings in our lives.  We may need to forgive others for wrongs done in the past.  We may have some bad habits that need to come to an end. As we let these things come to an end, we will find freedom in the Lord!

The disciples had to leave what was familiar in order to fully follow Jesus.  Levi, known as Matthew, had a good job and a very good income.  He was a tax collector.  He responded to the call of the Lord on his life in a very positive way.  Luke 5:27-28 “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”

It takes both hands to fully apprehend the Lord:  You can’t have one hand holding on to the familiar and one on the Lord. Let go of what’s holding you back, and let God have His way in your life.  God’s grace is sufficient. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Song:  “Your grace still amazes me” Phillips, Craig, and Dean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXVUYC_ykwE

“Times of Refreshing,” BLOG:  georgewblack.com

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

Aloha!

Ecclesiastes 3:2  “A time to be born.”

God loves us too much to leave us where we are.  He never changes, but we do.  First there’s new life in Him.  John 3:6, 7 “You must be born again.”

Once we have new life in Him, it’s too wonderful to keep to ourselves, we need to share it with others.  We live in a lost and dying world who is in need of a living Savior.  Got Jesus?  Pass it on!

You don’t have to be a preacher to share your testimony with others.  What have you done “new” lately?  You can share the love of God many different ways!

Doing something new may result from the Lord doing something new inside of us.  It can also happen when a need presents itself.  Our doing something new results from our responding to Him.

Our Outreach Minister provided a wonderful opportunity for our church family where everyone could be a part.  She had a great idea, made a plan, and then did it! We set up tents to provide shade, tables for food, and inflatables for jumping fun for big and little kids, face painting, and many other interactive games.  It took one leader who planned it with a support team, as well as her whole family, that helped pull it off. We had a great day sharing Jesus in a fun way with the community in a beautiful park here in Hawaii.

My husband was unable to attend a mission trip to India where he was to be one of the speakers.  The information he’d planned to share with them was very important in helping them.  Desiring to share this information with them resulted in his writing a book, printing it, and shipping it.

Doing something for the first time is setting ourselves up for stress and anxiety.  Keep trying and don’t give up!  Persevere until you succeed.  It’s never easy trying something new.  My husband was faced with this situation and challenged to do something he’d never done before which was to write a book.  Through trials, errors and lots of prayers, the outcome was his first book was a success! His book helped India and many other people.

Our church needed a Ladies Bible Teacher.  Whoever would have thought I’d be doing a weekly on-line Bible Study that goes not only to our church ladies, but at the touch of the “send” key, it goes to many across the states as well as to other countries.  I’m humbled and blessed for the opportunity to share Jesus from this platform.

Although I’d never been a ladies Bible Teacher before, I prayerfully did something new and stepped out to meet a need in our church and I have been incredibly blessed!  It takes time and effort.  After finishing one devotion, I begin the next prayerfully seeking God and asking Him what He would have me to share in the email, picture, and song.  My focus is not the study or e-mail, but in sharing encouraging Hope in Jesus!

Step out of your comfort zone and let’s be about our Father’s business!  Ideas are limitless!  Doing something new isn’t easy.  God’s grace is sufficient and He is with you.  What desire is God placing in your heart?  What is He doing new in your life?

We’re all called to share the Good News.  It’s wonderful to have many avenues to do it!

Song: Casting Crowns- “Until The Whole World Hears” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7qi2KlUffs

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

DISCOVERING THE BEAUTIFUL RYTHYMS OF LIFE

Aloha!

“Every season of life provides an opportunity to learn something more about God.  Though we don’t always get to choose our season of life, we can always choose to call out to God and worship Him in the midst.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

When I started reading this chapter, I thought of our ladies who live in Colorado and other states where the changing of the Seasons must be prolific.  You could take a snap shot of the same setting and each Season it would change drastically!

Do you have a favorite Season?  What comes to mind when you think of each Season?  Each Season has a natural purpose and you can apply them to your life as well.

We’re funny creatures: when it’s cold, we want it to warm up; when it’s hot, we want it to cool down!  God’s timing is perfect! We want Him to hurry up and get on to the next Season, but you can’t rush God!

Whichever season you find yourself in today, draw close to God.  Look at each season as a gift and begin to rejoice in the Lord.  Psalms 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Turn to God and not away from God in your Season.

Shortly after having my first baby I discovered I had a disease which affected my right lung.  I was very sick for the next two years.  Being a worshiper, it was a very challenging time and season in my life.  It was hard to breathe much less sing or talk.  I’d put on worship music and dance holding my baby and other times I’d just raise my hands and praise God from the depths of my soul.  When my organs were starting to shut down, I was told it would be fatal if I didn’t have surgery, so out came my right lung.   I remember my Pastor coming to encourage me and I shared Psalms 23 with him.  Even in facing death at a young age, I knew the Lord was with me.  Jesus faced the death of the cross, yet he arose triumphantly and victoriously.  My heart was comforted that in life or in death I’m victorious through Him!  I later sang “We Shall Behold Him,” at church and all glory goes to the Lord!

Acts 16 Paul and Silas didn’t complain when beaten and locked up.  They praised God and God miraculously delivered them by sending an earthquake to open the prison doors!

Song: “Eternity” by my brother in law and nephew, Andrew and John Eastmond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7mIMb297Is

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

SEEK A RESOLUTION

Aloha!

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”  Corrie Ten Boom

This study devotional, “Overcoming Worry,” has been quite a journey!  We have learned how to overcome our fears and walk in the peace of God amidst uncertainty.  Our confidence and hope is in the Lord.  He is our peace in every storm that we will ever face. It’s comforting to know that God is with us every day of our lives.

“The burdens that cause us to worry become heavier whenever we try to carry them alone.”

Sometimes you just don’t know what to do or which way to turn.  People become conditioned to the situations they’re in.  When that happens, you can’t see beyond where you are and find you’re stuck in a rut.  Insanity is doing the same thing expecting change.   It’s time to break out of the rut!

There needs to be a RESOLUTION.  Rather than wringing our hands worrying over everything, we need to make a resolution (a firm decision to do or not to do something; the action of solving a problem.)  1.  Make sure you have the FACTS.  2.  Have a correct PERSPECTIVE.   3.  Ask God for WISDOM.  4.  Make a PLAN.  5.  Find ENCOURAGEMENT.  6.  Control your THOUGHTS.  7.  Speak with a CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR.

Jacob was filled with worry after stealing his older brother’s birthright.  Knowing Esau wanted to kill him, Jacob ran away.  This seemed to be an irreconcilable problem.  Jacob turned to God in prayer and began to devise a plan to be reconciled with his brother.  After praying, he had his servants take livestock to Esau as a gift.  Esau’s heart was softened and Jacob won his favor.  Jacob must have been elated when Esau ran to him!  Esau embraced Jacob, kissed him, and wept.  Genesis 32

“When worry seeps into our lives, a resolution may seem impossible.  But God desires for us to live with joy and faith instead of worry and fear.”

Song:  “Voice of Truth” Casting Crowns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcuiuIwtpa4

Go to georgewblack.com to see my “Times of Refreshing,” BLOG 

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

CHOOSE TO REJOICE

Aloha!

“Ultimately, contentment is more a shift in attitude than a change in circumstances.”

Galatians 5:22-23 Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.  Nehemiah 8:10 “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”  If you haven’t felt the joy of the Lord in an overflowing bubbling over way in a long time, then it’s time for you to “REJOICE!”

Rejoice, by definition, means “to be full of joy.”

Philippians 4:4 We are instructed to “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice!”

Psalm 32:11 “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous:  and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

It’s hard to rejoice when you’re worrying.  It’s hard to worry when you’re rejoicing.  Set your heart on the Lord and choose to be thankful and rejoice.  Don’t let tests and trials steal your joy!  Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in your life and rejoice in Him!

Psalm 57:7 “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!  I will sing and make melody!”

No matter how difficult the situation is you’re facing, the Lord wants you to have His perfect peace and overflowing joy in your life.  Paul rejoiced even in suffering.  You can focus on the hardships and how difficult things are, or you can choose to trust God is working on your behalf.

Don’t worry about what others think.  Live to bless God! Choose to rejoice in the Lord at all times!  You will find yourself being strengthened and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

“Rejoicing prepares our hearts to look for God-possibilities in every situation anchors us in His unending love, and draws us even deeper into His joy.”

Song: 2^nd Chapter Of Acts, “Rejoice” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfH7aZ6BIBk

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

REFUSE TO COMPARE

Aloha!

“The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.”

1 Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

The moment we begin to compare ourselves with others is the moment we begin to worry. Our focus is on ourselves and on others.   It doesn’t matter if it’s regarding money, looks or personality. Worry steps in and we don’t seem to measure up.

Romans 9:20 “How can the clay to the Potter, “Why hast thou made me thus?”  When in the “Comparison mode,” we begin to feel insecure about ourselves and even begin to doubt God.  This is a very unhealthy place to be. It seems to snowball from worry to jealousy and low self-esteem. Song of Solomon 8:6 ”Jealousy is cruel as the grave.”

Know this, you were created by God and you are special!  There is only one you!  No one else can live your life but you!  When you focus on the Lord, you can’t be focusing on others.  God wants us to place our lives in His hands.

Our righteousness is as filthy rags.  Our best will never be good enough.  We will always fall short and find ourselves lacking.  We are in need of a Savior.  It’s in Him we are complete, satisfied, and whole.

When your relationship is right with God, then you can look at others through His love and rejoice when they rejoice, and mourn when they mourn. Romans 12:15

1 John 4:7, 8 “Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

Philippians 2:3, 4 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Song:  Third Day, “Soul on Fire” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTyqMdsTpoo

~♥~ We will be studying Book #4 from the  “Women of Faith Study Guide Series,” A TIME FOR EVERYTHING, Discovering the beautiful rhythms of life.”  By Margaret Feinberg.  This study will begin October 10, 2015 ~♥~

~♥~ You may see the first 3 Books we’ve studied by going to my brother’s web site georgewblack.com.  You will see Cindy Black Bice Blog,“Times Of Refreshing.”

Book #1 Hearing the Voice of God;

Book #2 “Trusting God;

Book #3 Overcoming Worry

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

TAKE COURAGE

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”  Billy Graham

Aloha!

Some of us were afraid of monsters or boogy bears in our closets when we were young. It’s easy to let your imagination run wild and everything gets scarier and scarier!  My parents assured me there wasn’t anything under my bed or in my closets; but I was still afraid.

I remember my sister and I were swimming in the river and a snake was swimming towards us and she literally had to push me up the ladder to get out of the water I was so scared.  Fear can paralyze you.  If you let your imagination go, fear can cripple you and prevent you from living a fun filled life full of faith.

“Fears can never be outpaced or outdone, they must be faced and defeated with courage.”

Did the incident with the snake in the water prevent me from getting back in the river? No!  We went water skiing and had many fun times swimming in the river.  I fell off a horse one time and it knocked the breath out of me.  I got back on and went for a ride.  A Cindy quote, “You rule fear.  It doesn’t rule you.”

When we allow fear to open the door to worry, we quite possibly, are missing opportunities, dreams and the life God has for us.  God calls us to courage.  God wants us to live by faith.

By trying to avoid the things we’re afraid of, we actually are letting those fears hold us captive!  We face our fears with COURAGE.  We conquer the monsters in our lives with prayer.  Being a Christian made all the difference for me.  Praying the scriptures and trusting God allowed me to live life not without fear, but in conquering it whenever it would show its ugly face.

David encouraged himself in the Lord.  His confidence was in the Lord.  “Instead of allowing fear to get the best of him.  David chose to dwell in God’s presence and pursue God as his salvation and stronghold.  For when we seek God’s face, and choose to dwell in His presence, we can rest in safety.”

Psalm 3:8 “I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”

Psalm 118:6 “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:  what can man do unto me?”

Psalm 16:8 “I keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Song:  Jamie Owens Collins, Maranatha “Hearts Courageous” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKYNmU4EiuI

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice