Upsy Daisy / Mrs Beth Palmani

Mrs Beth Palmani

Pastor's Wife

Central Baptist Church

Granite City, IL

Upsy Daisy

When a child is just learning to walk, they will fall many, many times before getting the hang of it.  When they do fall, they have to get back up and try again.  We tell them, “upsy daisy, you're ok, try again!”  As we go through life, just expect it, we are going to fall.  A famous preacher preached a sermon on “Life is not a bump in the road, it's a bumpy road.”  How true this is!  We will all have times in our lives that we hit bumps.  The one thing that we can always count on though, is that we have a Heavenly Father who cares about us and is right beside us ready to pick us up and say, upsy daisy, everything is going to be okay.  

In the Bible there are many “upsy daisy” moments.   Job was a man blessed by God, but as we know, he hit many “bumps” in his road all at once! Job 1:13-22 So many things happened to Job in a short time period, but God was with him, and in the end, said “upsy daisy Job.”  Job is a great example of when we don't see God, God still sees us.  God was watching over Job the whole time! Job wasn't able to see God, but God could see Job.   Job 23:8-10. I remember one day when I was at the store, my daughter saw a new FANTASTIC toy that she just HAD to look at.  I told her that she needed to stay right with me, but she just couldn't help herself and went over to look at it.  I decided to stand at the corner of the aisle where she couldn't see me and wait to see how long before she would notice.  I could see her the whole time, but she couldn't see me.  For a while, she was so excited about that toy, but it wasn't long before she looked around and didn't see me.  Then it happened….mom, mom, MOM!!!  There was a bit of panic and fear in her voice, but I was right there watching her.  She didn't need to be scared.  I'm so thankful that I have a God who sees me even when I don't see Him!

David If anybody had been through ups and downs in life, it would be David, yet, he's the author of the Psalms, probably the most encouraging book in the Bible.  How could he write such encouraging words?  He had his Heavenly father right beside him always ready to pick him up and say, Upsy Daisy! David was a man so blessed by God.  He was anointed king as a child by Samuel the prophet, given a beautiful wife, King Saul's daughter, he killed Goliath, became the captain of the army and the list could go on.  But yes, even he hit “bumps in the road.” I think of the time when he finds out that the king was jealous of him. The ladies cheered..Saul has killed his thousand, David has killed his tens of thousands. (I Samuel 18:7) He runs away from the palace and becomes a fugitive, a wanted man, and it would appear that he was at the bottom.  He was discouraged, defeated, and destroyed, but all along God was with him.  He said upsy daisy David, and becomes one of the greatest kings of Israel of all time.   There are many stories of David's “bumps in the road” recorded in the Bible, but each time he fell, God was there to encourage him and to pick him up.  

There's nobody more encouraging than a mom.  You watch those big ol' football players when they are in front of the camera, what do they say?  “Hi, MOM!”  They know that their mom will be right by their side and be their greatest encourager. As moms, let us learn to trust in the Lord, let us realize that God is always with us, even when we are down.  Life is full of ups and downs, but God is always there to say upsy daisy, everything will be ok.

What's Your "Exhortation Score?" / Mrs Debbie Russ

Mrs Debbie Russ

Boeke Road Baptist Church

(She and her Hubby have been serving there faithfully for 30 years)

Office Assistant at Faith Music Mission

Wife of Bro Ed Russ President of Faith Musics Missions

What’s Your “Exhortation Score?”

Hebrews 3:13 – “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

As adults who are paying our own way in life, we all have what is called a “credit score.”  This score, or rating, tells us how good (or bad) our credit is. How well we pay our bills, etc.  Well, what would it be like if we, as Christians, had an “exhortation (or encourager) score?”  What would ours look like?

In the above verse, God tells us that we should be exhorting (encouraging) each other daily.  That means every single day of our lives. Ladies, we never know when our words & deeds of encouragement will keep someone else from quitting.  We have all been at that point in our lives. Who did God use to help keep you from giving up? Can God count on you to be a vessel of encouragement in someone else’s life today?

I believe that one of Satan’s most used weapons against a Christian is that of discouragement.  If he can get us discouraged, he has been successful in making us less effective in God’s work, in our marriages, in our families, in our churches, in our jobs, in our relationships. 

In knowing this is true, lets look around us—all around us.  Who is in your path right now? Your husband, children, grandchildren, pastor, pastor’s wife, school children, co-worker, boss, friends, cashier, fellow shopper, Sunday School teacher, missionary… the list could go on & on.  Who does God want you to encourage today? Don’t put it off until tomorrow. That person needs your encouragement TODAY!  

Give a smile (how hard is that?), a compliment, a note of encouragement, a phone call, a text, an email, a lending hand.   As you go through this day, this week, this month, this year, be looking for ways that you can be an encouragement to “one another daily.”  It’s not a suggestion, it’s a command!

Let’s see how high your “Exhortation Score” can go today!

Hebrews 10:24-25:  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.



Are you discouraged today? Aren’t you glad that God has given us His perfect, unfailing Word to help us during those times?  In I Samuel 30:6, the Bible says, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.


We should be looking for ways that we can encourage each person that God places in our path every single day. 

Trained to be a Martha.... but I'm supposed to be a Mary / Mrs Paula Rimes

Mrs Paula Rimes

Pastor's Wife

Gospel Light Baptist Church

Tuscaloosa, AL

"Trained to be a Martha...but I'm supposed to be a Mary"

     Confession time...I like to be busy!  I like to be involved with everything going on in our church.  I teach Sunday School, play the piano, and teach a Wednesday night kid's class.  I clean the church, help with yard work, and do the secretarial responsibilities.  I visit a bus route, go teen soul-winning, and work in our Nursing Home ministry.  I plan the Ladies Conference trips, go with the teens to Youth Conference, and I've spent the past 11 summers as a camp counselor.  I spend countless hours planning VBS, as well as doing fundraising to get all those young people to camp and Youth Conference.  I do all of this while homeschooling my 4 children and TRYING (I emphasize trying!!) to keep up with all of my responsibilities as wife and mother. If you're like me, a great emphasis has been put on being busy serving the Lord.

     Several years ago though, as I was reading through the book of Luke, I came across the story of Jesus visiting in the home of Mary and Martha.  You know the story.  Martha is busy in the kitchen, preparing a meal for Jesus.

     I often imagine how I would behave if Jesus was coming to my house for lunch.  I'd want the table set just perfectly.  I'd put out my best dishes on which I would serve the most delicious meal I know how to fix.  (My best dish is pork chops, but since He's a Jew, I'd probably have to rethink that.)  The house is as clean as can be, because Jesus is coming.  When He arrived, we'd usher Him into our living room, where my girls would offer him a drink.  My husband (because he's a better Christian than me) would most certainly sit there quietly hanging on His every word, while I'm running around the kitchen making sure everything is just perfect.  I'm a Martha!!

     Martha is a servant.  She wants to serve Jesus.  She loves Him and wants everything to be just perfect for Him.  She finds herself frustrated with those around her, who aren't as busy serving as she is.  So much frustrated, that she complains to her Lord.  His response is a reprimand. 

     Luke 10:41-42 "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."


     I don't think that the Lord was telling her not to serve, but that her service had taken an improper place in her life.  Her service wasn't supposed to take the place of her time spent with the Saviour.  As I read this passage, I became convicted.  Had I done the same thing?  Had the busy-ness of serving Jesus kept me from time that should have been spent sitting at the feet of Jesus?  I admit that in my life, I have had to adjust some priorities.  I'm not trying to take away from those who are busy serving the Lord, but in His own words, "But one thing is needful..." Choose time spent at His feet!

Hurry Up and Wait / Mrs Ruby McMiller

Mrs Ruby McMiller

Pastor's Wife

Heritage Baptist Church

Kenosha, WI

Hurry Up and Wait

…and let us run with patience the race that is set before us  Hebrews 12:1b

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  Ps 27:14

The American minister and writer Philip Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. However, one day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion and asked him what the trouble was. 

"The trouble is," replied Brooks, "that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!"

Does that sound familiar? You have this ‘situation’ that needs God’s attention right now but He seems to be moving slow.

We can find it hard to wait for God to work. We want things done in our time. We can lose sight of the teaching of scriptures that remind us to wait on the Lord.

Here are a few ideas to make waiting on the Lord a blessing:

I. Fellowship While Waiting  You are not the only one waiting for God to move. One reason that  God slows you down is because there others around you that need  your encouragement. 

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

II. Recharge While Waiting   Refocus, reflect, and reconnect with your Savior. Back to the  beginning is the great place to wait. Take this time as an   opportunity to draw closer to Him. Could this be the reason you’re  in this holding pattern, to bring your focus back to the Savior?

 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-28

III. Rejoice while Waiting   I wonder how much time we really spend rejoicing. We may not  complain, but do we rejoice? Praising God is good exercise. It will  keep us from fretting. Make a list of all the reasons you have to  rejoice. Time will fly by.  

And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house… Deuteronomy 26:11a
IV. Serve While Waiting  The call has not changed. The work must continue. Now is not the  time to sit with idle hands. There is work to complete. The wait  will give you ample time to finish the task set before you.

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth… Joshua 24:14a

V. Watching While Waiting   Look for what is coming next. Don’t miss the instructions. Don’t  get distracted. Keep your eyes and ears open. God will move. You  job is to be watching. Prepare your heart and mind for the next  step.

Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. Isaiah 48:17


Waiting for God to move may seem trying. It may seem that nothing is getting done, but be assured that He is working out His plan for your life and that of those around you.

His promises still hold true. Enjoy the time spent waiting. God really is working things for His glory and our good.

Wait! God's delays are not denials; He has heard your prayer;  He knows all about your trials, knows your every care. God's delays are not denials; Help is on the way;  He is watching o'er life's dials, Bringing forth the day.  God's delays are not denials; You will find Him true, Working through the hardest trials What is best for you! —The Believer's Magazine.