When the Frost Comes

By Linda Tancs

Have you ever been frozen out of a situation? Maybe you were left out of a lunch group, denied an opportunity to join an organization or otherwise rejected. Situations like this remind me of a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Fellowship of the Ring: “Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” You are a son or daughter of the King (John 1:12). Rest in your knowledge of that. It gives you roots, a firm foundation, to endure being slighted in this life (Psalm 1:3).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Starry Nights

By Linda Tancs

God created the stars and, as a popular song says, He knows them by name. He knows the lifespan of every star in the sky and guides each of them to its expected end. So as God so guides the stars, surely it’s a comfort to know that He’ll chart a course for you as well (Luke 12:7). Remember that the next time you’re enjoying a starry night.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

By Linda Tancs

Jesus wasn’t shy about making himself a house guest. After all, he told the tax collector Zacchaeus that He would be staying at his house. (Luke 19:1-10). To associate with a sinner (a wealthy and detested tax collector) was unthinkable to his cohorts. But Jesus didn’t think like others think because He loved unlike others loved. The core of love is acceptance; the fruit of acceptance is redemption. Zacchaeus was a redeemed man thanks to his encounter with Jesus. What a dinner party that must have been!

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Free But Not Cheap

By Linda Tancs

An old saying tells us that “the best things in life are free.” Well, some of the best things in life are, indeed, free: air, sunlight, water, soil and other natural resources. Although they’re free, they’re not cheap, considering their life-giving properties. Likewise, salvation is free (Isaiah 55:1) and certainly not cheap, considering that it cannot be bargained for like chattel. It can’t be earned through good behavior or social standing. How grateful we should be that God puts no price tag on the gift above all other gifts (John 10:9).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Friends in High Places

By Linda Tancs

You’ve heard the expression “friends in high places,” meaning those who are able to use their power or influence for your benefit. But no matter how highly situated an earthly friend is, that kind of friend can fail you and often does at some point. There really is only one friend in a high place, and He will never fail you (1 Corinthians 1:7-9).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Gravity

By Linda Tancs

Sir Isaac Newton propounded the Universal Law of Gravitation, which says that what goes up must come down. That should remind you of Jesus. He went up to Heaven and will come back down again (Acts 1:11). Another scientist, Albert Einstein, described gravity as a curve in space that wraps around an object. Think of the way that Jesus wraps Himself around you, pulling you closer to Him. Now that’s a gravitational force worth celebrating.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Unlimited

By Linda Tancs

CAVU is an acronym meaning “ceiling and visibility unlimited.” It’s a term that Navy pilots use to define the conditions they would like to see when taking off from an aircraft carrier. It’s a great way to think of God, too. How lucky we are to serve a God without limits. His love and compassion are unlimited (Psalm 51:1). So, too, are His understanding (Psalm 147:5) and His power (Ephesians 1:19). Reflect on some of God’s infinite attributes.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

But God

By Linda Tancs

One of many phrases found consistently throughout various iterations of the Bible is “but God.” It’s a hopeful and restorative phrase (see, e.g., Psalm 49:15; Psalm 73:26; Acts 3:15). You might be more familiar, though, with “but how.” It shows up when a payment is looming, a marriage breaking, or a job ending, among other things. The next time you’re tempted to think “but how” think “but God” instead.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

Forgiveness is a Gift

By Linda Tancs

You’ve no doubt heard it said that forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. It might sound like a cliché, but it’s grounded in the Bible. In fact, God Himself said that He blots out our sins for His “own sake” (Isaiah 43:25). Imagine that! Even God forgives sin for His own sake, for His own welfare. Forgive others for your own sake. If God can do it, then so can you.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

The Best Things

By Linda Tancs

Fashion designer Coco Chanel reputedly said, “The best things in life are free.” And so it is: the air we breathe, fresh water from a stream, our faith, our hope. Best of all is our salvation (Romans 6:23). How blessed are we that it comes to us without a price we need to pay. Jesus paid the price (John 10:9). All believers need to do is accept it for the precious gift that it is.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.