This statement “pour out to be filled” is NOT how we think! I mean, do your kids or spouse, ever drink out of your cup? They do. They do when you are looking right at them and they sneak a drink when you aren’t! Be honest- you probably say – “Put my cup down! That’s mine!” I do. Is that how Jesus reacted when the woman who had suffered 12 years from a bleeding disorder touched His robe? No. He sought her out, not to reprimand her but to bless her, Luke 8:48 “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

I learned something this year about giving of your self or taking what God has given you and hoarding it. I experienced this several years ago when I visited Lebanon. However, it wasn’t until earlier this year that the concept really sunk into my heart. Middle Eastern culture is very hospitable and giving. I was at a Turkish restaurant and we had coffee after our supper. Turkish coffee is very distinct. It is served in a tiny cup, it is very strong and it is made with cardamon. Like a good Southern girl I drank the entire little cup. As I sat there proudly admiring myself for drinking it, the server came by and suddenly I had another cup! Which I drank out of obligation, and then it was filled again! Oh no. Finally a friend leaned over and said if I did not want anymore, I needed to leave a little in the cup. You see by emptying my cup I was signaling that I need to be filled back up.

This is a principle God explains in the 23rd Psalm. Verse 5 says, “my cup overflows.” I had always interpreted this as God gives me so much my cup cannot hold it all and it so overflows. This is not consistent what Middle Eastern culture. The principle of an over flowing cup is one that in continually emptied and filled back up so that it can be emptied again.

Do you pour out onto others from what God has filled you with? I mean: do you empty your cup to them? The only way to be renewed by God is to give away all that He has already given you.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, He meets your needs so that you can meet the needs of those around you. When you give all you have, He in turn refills your cup. When you operate your life by Jesus principle of giving, your cup will always flow through Him. Quarantine is a good time to practice giving of yourself. As you sparkle, Jesus will make His light shine brighter through you.

I received a text late last night from a young lady I don’t really know very well. She needed some encouragement and so she reached out. These are hard days and so long! Being stuck inside the same four walls day after day. I love my family and I am so grateful that I am able to work from home. However, there are many around you – like a stone’s throw from you – who do not have the best situations in their four walls.

Jesus saw people. Do you?

One way to escape the feelings of being trapped and bored even sad and lonely are to look outside of yourself. If Jesus would not of looked outside of His own well being, He would never have left heaven for you.

Remember when Jesus came to the rescue of woman who was accused of adultery. John chapter 8 tells her story. The scribes and Pharisees brought her to him to test him, “in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman.” But Jesus, rich in mercy, saw her. Think about that He saw her not her sin. As Jesus bent down and began to draw in the sand, revealing to these men that He was well aware of their sin. Jesus spoke, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her”, the men left one by one.

Jesus looked at the woman- men in that day did not look at women- “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She answered “no.” Jesus replied, ” Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Isn’t this what Jesus has said to each one of us who has received forgiveness of our sins past, present and future from Him? So how are you encouraging those who are seeking Him? Are you looking for opportunities to praise Him? When you recognize what Jesus has done for you, you are more likely to see those who need to know. They see you too. Your sparkle draws them to the Jesus in you. Be ready to share what He has done for you, be ready to speak. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

The only way you can be ready to give an answer for your hope, is to know you have hope. Daily reading God’s Word and conversing with Him in prayer is the only way to be prepared to share.

No excuses! Just do it! And God will place you in the path of people who need to hear The Good News.

Maybe you think your life is boring. Maybe you are just bored. The funny thing is, you are not alone! You have no idea how many people identify with that same feeling. Even more interesting, is how many people wish their life was boring! Maybe they have family drama, or work problems, name a relationship and they are struggling. That friend needs the hope that you have.

So my question to you is this: “Is your Sparkle shinning for those who are hurting around you?”

Jesus chose some pretty boring men to be His confidants. They were uneducated, hard working guys. They were fisherman. I would think their lives were so routine. Up before dawn to hit the water before it got too hot.  Sit in the boat, throw nets out pull them in, empty them – hopefully. REPEAT. Wow that sounds like my mundane life.

It is in that middle of their mundane lives that Jesus found them. He did not come to them as a salesman, he simply invited them to join him. And they did. No one hesitated. Think about this new job. Was there a corner office with a window? No. A huge sign on bonus? No. Immediate insurance coverage and 2 weeks of vacation? No. But, what they did get, was a front row seat to see the long awaited Messiah reveal His glory! The sick healed, the blind given sight, even dead raised back to life! Time alone with Him where He explained who He was and the meaning behind the parables He told. They watched Jesus as He gave His life up on the cross, saw the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ! They received the Great Commission in person!  

My point is that Jesus met these normal boring men, in their everyday life. And He transformed them, gradually and continually! He revealed Himself to them and changed their hearts and minds. Maybe you remember, Jesus told them to follow Him and He would “make them fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). I imagine they had no idea what Jesus meant that day. Maybe they didn’t know until several years later. But, I am a product of that mundane obedience!

Have you ever considered that thought? As a Gentile – a non-Jewish believer, your belief is a result of the obedience of Peter, Andrew and John- all of them! They Sparkled because they spent time with Jesus.
Eventually those around them called out when they needed hope! 

In Acts 10:36-43 you can read about Dorcas.When she died, Peter was close by and her friends called on him. In that moment, we see Peter’s Sparkle as he trusted in Jesus to bring Dorcas back from death to life! My favorite verse is 42, where it says “it became known…and many believed in the Lord”.  The Sparkle expands and grows.

Think back to that boring job, the tedious work of cleaning and  repairing nets daily. Peter, exchanged that for Sparkle that gave Light to those around him, simply by spending time with Jesus, getting to know Him being available in his every day life to be used. Through that obedience, the Light was spread to the entire world even through generations, to me and to you. 

Are you willing to spend time with Jesus? Just a few moments every day.  Sit with Him, get to know Him through the Word, learn who He is and ask Him to reveal His glory to you and in you, so that your Sparkle (His light in you) will give hope to those you see in your mundane life. Your family in your home, the cashier you are on a first name basis with at the grocery, the mailman, the lady at the dry cleaner, the neighbor boy who mows your lawn. Ask God to let them see your Sparkle, to let them ask about the hope you have. Then open your mouth, be available, and He will do the work. 

It is hard to sparkle when I feel like it is about to storm

If you are anything like me, I don’t always feel like being the Light of Jesus to those around me. Life is hard! Sometimes I just want to cry, or more likely, whine! I find myself asking questions like, “why me?” or “why now”? I am realizing this is because I am forgetting who I am, to Whom I belong, and what is my purpose for being here. These are difficult lessons to learn. I am a daughter of the King! He loves me with unfailing love, even though I don’t always “feel” it in the moment. My purpose is to GLORIFY HIS GREAT NAME! So if I can take a moment to readjust and capture those thoughts that send me spiraling out of control, He will upright me, and continue to shine through me! I think there is nothing more beautiful than when the sun shines through the clouds! Sometimes, that particular light seems brighter then a cloudless day. Because it chases the clouds away and reminds me there is hope! What situations are pressing in on you today? Do you feel like you are suffocating? Take a deep breath! Psalm 46:10 says “be still, and know that I am God” and 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ”. Stop struggling on your own, trying to fix everything; stop listening to the lies that tell you Jesus is not listening to you or He doesn’t care. Let God be God! You know there is hope, act on it! When you do, the Light of Jesus will shine through your troubles! All of those around you will see your hope, breaking apart the clouds of dark. Then my friend, Jesus will use you to bring Light and Hope to everyone who sees you leaning on Him and His abilities. This is how you Sparkle when the storms come! He Sparkles through you. I would love to pray for you, send me an email and tell me how I can!

Daily, we as women: influence  those around us, husband, children, friends, coworkers, neighbors….. 

You have probably heard, “everyone leads someone”… even if you are not aware, someone is watching you. Most likely, many “someones” are watching. So, how does Jesus look to them through your life. This IS Sparkle. God provided salvation for YOU so that others – those He has strategically placed in your life can see Him in you.  

Consider this verse: 

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 

2 Corinthians 3:18 https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/3-18.htm

The phrase, “unveiled face”, is intriguing to me. I remember, Moses walking down from the mountain after meeting with God in Exodus 34:29-34. He had to wear a veil over his face, because he was glowing from spending time with God. He was glowing! What does my face look like after I spend time with God? How many times do I leave my time with God and act as if I have not been with Him in weeks? Paul says to the Corinthians, your face is unveiled! The glory of the Lord is transforming us to look more like Jesus. This transformation from glory to another, only occurs when we spend time with Him. Sit before Him, acknowledge His greatness and ask the Spirit to reveal truths to us. Then when you are leading those God has placed before you, they will see your Sparkle, they will want to know why you are different, and then you will have the opportunity to shine for Him! 

Make sure to get your time with Jesus today, and tomorrow and the next day, so that you can Sparkle On Daily!

When I think about how I interact with my people, it can be overwhelming. I want to encourage my husband and inspire my children daily, but some of my children don’t even live at home anymore. Every day, I have to get my exchange student to school, go to work for a few hours, make sure the girls get their school work done, and try to talk to my husband between his work calls. OH! and do my Bible study….did I clean the toilet this week? The dogs need to go out and the cats’ litter box needs to be changed. What is for supper?

Shew! that is exhausting just to think about. How in the world am I going to be the wife and moma and co-worker I want and need to be when my to-do list list so long?

Well, I am so glad you asked! This is where our Sparkle comes in! My “Sparkle” is what others get from me when they spend some time with me! If I don’t spend a little time with Jesus everyday I am no where near the woman I want to be. I do not reflect -SPARKLE- Him.

Join me every week as we study the attributes of God and see how we need to live a life of light so that we can Sparkle On Daily and lead all our others closer to Him.