Category: Entrée

Entrée

Restore

The Manna Chef

I asked God for a word today, and I was determined to be still until He answered.  I didn’t ask Him for a Scripture; I asked for a word because I knew that word would send me right to the Word.  I waited for quite some time, and then I heard today’s word in a small, still voice:  RESTORE.

Those who know me personally know that I happen to love words!  So, I went right to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary to look at all of the literal meanings of the word restore.  Here’s what I found:

  1. To give back, return
  2. To put or bring back into existence or use
  3. To bring back to or put back into a former or original state; renew
  4. To put again in possession of something

All of those definitions give us a glimpse of just what it means to restore.  But let’s look deeper, because God Himself promised to restore His people.  And I need restoration in my life today, don’t you? 

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Don’t Forget

The Manna Chef

How many times has the Lord come through for you?  If you really begin to think about that in sincerity, that list will go on and on.  Today, I encourage you to focus on God’s faithfulness to you—even when you may have struggled to be faithful to Him.  God always comes through for His children—not sometimes, always! 

Sisters, I am well aware that sometimes life throws you a curve ball that may catch you by surprise, but God is never caught off guard.  He knows what you need before you even need it.  Isn’t that amazing?  Think about those times when you didn’t exactly know how a need would be met, and then God showed up right on time.  I recently experienced His supernatural move!  God told me that He was taking care of every detail in a matter, and He most certainly did—in grand fashion too!  It left me asking, “Who wouldn’t serve a God like this?” 

When I was younger, my mother used to sing “Jesus, I’ll Never Forget” during testimony service.  (She loved that song!)

Jesus, I’ll never forget what You’ve done for me.  Jesus, I’ll never forget how You set me free.  Jesus, I’ll never forget how You brought me out.  Jesus, I’ll never forget, no, never…

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Now THAT’S Faith!

The Manna Chef

Today, I was thinking about Jesus’s first miracle—turning water to wine at a wedding.  It must have been some reception since they drank all the wine, right?  In case you need a reminder, here’s the account in John 2:1-9 (NLT).

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee.  Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.  The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied.  “My time has not yet come.”

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”  When the jars had been filled, He said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.”  So the servants followed his instructions.

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Leaning on What I Know

The Manna Chef

I was having one of those days—you know that day when you can’t seem to catch your breath because there is simply too much going on around you?  It was like every time I turned around, the phone was ringing with news of another crisis or tragedy.  I actually said to God, “Lord, this is too much.  I cannot deal with one more thing right now.” 

I was feeling exasperated, and my emotions were all over the place.  When a dear friend asked me, “How are you?” I couldn’t even put into words how I was really feeling, so I landed on, “I’m ok and not ok at the same time.” 

Those who know me personally know that I’m not one of those folks who says, “I’m blessed and highly favored” anytime someone asks how I’m doing.  Yes, I am blessed and highly favored, but if you ask how I’m feeling, and I’m not feeling blessed and highly favored, I will simply tell you the truth.  So, I had to be honest.  I was ok and not ok.  The next day, my answer was “overwhelmed.”  Another day, it was “really sad today.”  And later, “my head is spinning today—I feel like I can’t catch my breath.” (figuratively) 

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Wrapped up in Gratitude

The Manna Chef

Sisters, as we approach the end of another year, I want to encourage you to start your gratitude list for 2022.  As many of you know, I no longer make New Year resolutions.  Many years ago, God instructed me to make a “Gratitude List” instead, so that I would not be weighed down a few months into the new year—when I realized that I was not checking things off that extensive list.  

You know how we do: we work out and eat healthy for a few weeks. We try to develop a pattern of good habits or commit to mastering something new. We are determined to make real life changes, too, except that those changes barely make it through January and February, because in the middle of all of those great plans, life happens.

So, I want to offer you a whole new perspective. I encourage you to close out the year in gratitude. And instead of giving yourself a list of things to determine your success for the upcoming year, open your heart to the possibilities that God has waiting just for you!! Doesn’t that sound liberating?

For the next several days, I want you to set aside some time to simply reflect on God’s goodness to you throughout this year and make a list.  And, yes, I do mean an actual list, whether you type it or write it.

Let me get you started:

Gratitude List for 2022

I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done. (Psalm 9:1 NLT)

(Now start listing the wonderful things that God has done for you in 2022!)