Try These Moving Morsels Each Monday!
Friends! I’ve got exciting news for you! There’s a new kid on the block, or maybe I should say a new book on the block—as in a new devotional— just in time for a nifty little Christmas gift for yourself (who doesn’t buy themselves something for Christmas also?!!), and for your friends, and for a family member or two or ten…
My dear friend and mentor, Nancy Tinnell, whom many of you know from attending one of her Bible studies or Book Club meetings at Middletown United Methodist Church, has written a lovely little devotional. Designed for reading one per week, you can pick it up every Monday to start your day and week off on the right foot.
Not only is Nancy a gifted teacher/speaker/pastor, you’ll discover she’s a gifted writer and encourager too. Nancy and Middletown United Methodist’s senior Pastor, Gary Gibson have been co-hosting a weekly podcast called Consider This. This led Nancy to write these mini-devotions, fitting them neatly into a book for us readers, which reminds me: this book would be good for guys and gals.
I’m calling the devotions “moving morsels” because they include an action or application we can take with us to move us, re-centering us on the many gifts God has given us including our thought process, how we perceive things, people, and situations. Each one is on a different topic and each one ends with a section called, “Consider this…”.
Nancy covers a lot of territory with topics such as “To-do lists,” “Clinging,” “Laughter”, “Unplugged”, “Seasons” and even “Action Figures” (Nancy spins a great twist on what you’d think this devotion would be about. I especially love this one because of all the action figures we have in our house thanks to our grandsons!) just to name a few. I’ll look at them differently now!
I can’t begin to pick a favorite, but I will say I’ve highlighted and underlined each of the devotionals, many times adding notes and stars. Most of the entries also include a Scripture verse, sometimes even poetry or song lyrics. How Nancy ties these together with her applications is remarkable.
One of many favorite entries is called “Predictions.” It opens around Groundhog Day and how Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether we’ll have a longer or a shorter winter.
Nancy teaches us that while we’d rather know what lies ahead of us, “the reality is we can’t know everything that’s in store for us…” She adds, “Jesus wants us to concentrate on being ready for that day by living as obedient disciples. If we are living in service to Him, we won’t mind the surprise of His return. We’ll be overjoyed by it.”
And look how she closes:
See how this can make you think? Imagine taking one of these entries each Monday. Then try jotting down a couple of key words to look at each day. For example, here’s what I wrote down on “Predictions” :
Actions
Attitudes
Make Today and
Every Day —worthy of the Lord’s attention
You’ll discover new ways to look at the ordinary which is why I like this devotional so much. Let me show you another example:
In “Clinging,” we’re given the beautiful visual of rocking a child or grandchild to sleep. Before we put them in their crib, they’re still clinging like mad to us, in a deep sleep, “their instincts keeping them clinging to us.”
Nancy points out that “as adults, we instinctively cling to things too. Hopefully, they’re good and beneficial, but sometimes, we have trouble letting go of things that are not only less than good for us but harmful.” Yikes…
We then get to read Psalm 63:7-8 that says,
Now savor Nancy’s take on this verse:
“Our soul clings to the Lord just like a baby clings to its mother or father. Our soul seeks protection under the canopy of God’s grace, where we can be secure and confident in God’s love and mercy.”
Don’t miss that visual of “the canopy of God’s grace.” I want to park there, don’t you? And I won’t spoil the rest of the devotion as you don’t want to miss the “consider this” part!!!
Nancy’s humor is a fun addition to the book as well. Two of her topics, however, I confess I wanted to avoid: “To-Do List” and “Cleaning Out the Closet”, but as I mentioned earlier, what they may appear to be wind up being totally different and become a good ole’ shot in the arm.
Now just one more snippet before I close, and remember you’ll get forty-nine more I’ve not even touched on from this book! “Ice Cream” is another favorite devotion. Nancy talks about when we have a new school year for students and reminds us to pray for them “as they begin and for them to grow in wisdom and in the ways of grace.”
This was particularly timely for us this year as our oldest grandchild, Claire, just started first grade. She and her sister came over for ice cream the night before school was to start. (More like they came for buckets of chocolate sauce with small amounts of ice cream.)
Claire’s first day was to be just a half day, so I asked her if they got to wear play clothes, or if they’d go right into wearing uniforms. Very quickly, she raised both of her hands (as she often talks with her hands) and very emphatically said, “Oh, no, we have to begin wearing uniforms immediately….” Followed by a v-e-r-y… l-o-n-g….pause….”Because Lolly,” she said, “WE ARE NOT IN KINDERGARTEN ANY MORE.” Out of the mouths of babes…
“Ice Cream’s” entry includes Proverbs 24:13-14 which says,
Again, you’ll have to read the “Consider this” part so as not to give any more away! But trust me, you’ll love each and every one of these entries.
The take-home value of this book is huge. It’s a resource you can read all the way thru’, and then start all over again, each devotion a practical application for each of us for our week.
Consider This releases November 1st. You may get a copy from Nancy at Middletown United Methodist Church (MUMC), located at: 11902 Shelbyville Road in Middletown, Louisville, KY. 40243. You may reach Nancy at: (502) 245-8839 or (502) 550-2415 and her email is: ntinnell@middletownumc.org
Run, don’t walk to MUMC to grab your copy for yourself and some for gifts!
You’re welcome. Smile.
‘Til next time!