The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Chris... - Preparing Our Hearts for Spring Break

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Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional.

We're so glad to have you listening.

I'm Lynette Kiddell and today's topic is

Preparing Our Hearts for Spring Break.

We'll be right back after a brief message from our sponsor.

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Preparing our hearts for spring break.

Written and read by Lynette Kittle.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time,

but painful. Later on, however,

it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace

for those who have been trained by it,

Hebrews 12-11.

It's that time of year again,

where our minds start thinking about spring break,

and where our families will plan to spend it.

Whether it's a staycation close to home,

or at the beach, the mountains,

an amusement park, or on an island paradise,

it's about loving and enjoying our families.

Grieffully, our family has experienced wonderful spring breaks,

getaways, where everything went well,

but we've also waited through difficult and challenging ones,

where everything seemed to fall apart.

No one seemed to get along, the influenza hit us,

we ran out of gas in the desert,

traffic was chaotic, and travel didn't go the way we planned.

During times like these, when it's easy for emotions to run wild

and feelings to easily get hurt,

we want to remember what Colossians 3-12-13 urges.

Therefore, as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,

gentleness, and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another,

if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Although there are often issues that arise during family getaways,

they don't have to color our experience and memories in a negative way.

We can ask God to help us put situations into perspective

where we let go of the less than pleasant and hang on to the warm and loving moments.

We don't have to allow life's displeasures to take away from the joy

of being with one another and spending time together

despite the circumstances through thick and thin the fun and not so fun moments.

Rather than letting various difficulties and challenges ruin our time together,

we can view them as bumps in our relationships,

with opportunity to learn how to walk through disputes and disruptions

with God's grace and forgiveness.

We can be determined to not let challenging moments define our time together.

As the Apostle Paul urges us in Philippians 2, 3 through 4,

do nothing at a selfish ambition or vain conceit,

rather in humility value others above yourselves,

not looking to your own interest,

but each of you to the interest of the others.

During spring break we can look to God to help us to learn,

grow, and even discover joy in the middle of this haps,

troubles, and difficulties.

Paul reminds us in Romans 8, 18,

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing

with the glory that will be revealed in us.

When we are willing to set our minds on it,

we can trust God to work the hardships,

difficulties, and disagreements together for our good

by bringing us closer together with a common goal

of making it through whatever is happening,

drawing us closer to one another,

and growing together rather than further apart.

First Peter 16 reminds us that,

in all this you greatly rejoice,

though now for a little while,

you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Spending time together as a family

is often where everyone's weakness is flare up,

fueled by spending a non-stop week together.

Instead of us all going our own ways for school,

work, and church, during concentrated time together,

it doesn't take long for our frailties and faults

to rear their ugly heads.

Rather than feel despair when spring break misunderstandings

and disappointments happen,

Paul encourages us in 2 Corinthians 1210.

That is why for Christ's sake,

I delight in weaknesses,

in insults, in hardships,

and persecutions,

in difficulties,

for when I am weak,

then I am strong.

Instead of being in despair over them,

we can believe it gives God the opportunity

to show himself strongly in our lives,

including our family's lives.

With Christ as the center of our lives,

Paul, who definitely knew what it was like

to experience difficulties,

weaknesses, and challenges in his life,

reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4 8 through 9.

We are hard pressed on every side,

but not crushed,

perplexed, but not in despair,

persecuted, but not abandoned,

struck down, but not destroyed,

intersecting faith in life.

Before spending spring break as a family,

gather together to pray,

for God to prepare your hearts

to be loving and kind to each other

during your extended family time,

as well,

discuss beforehand

how God can help you to be patient

and long-suffering with each other

during your time together.

Further reading,

15 spring break trips

that are budget and family-friendly.

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Jesus said,

this is the will of my father,

everyone who beholds the sun and believes in him

will have eternal life.

Let's pray.

Jesus saved me.

Forgive me for all my sins.

I will follow you, Jesus.

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