Author: Tammy M Cardwell

Staying in the Word

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NLT Inspire Bible

Months ago, I shared that my word for the year is consistency. I also reviewed some things that were helping me stay consistent in my walk with God. One of those tools is the Through The Word Bible app.

It seemed right to return today and share that yes, I have been consistent. It’s taken self-discipline, sometimes in the form of a swift kick to my own backside, but I am working my way through the Bible in an eye-opening, methodical way that I’m loving. Best of all? It’s simple, requiring nothing but my Bible, pens, and one app.

I start my study by reading a chapter in the Bible – just one. I don’t ONLY read it, however. I ask the Holy Spirit to talk to me, teach me, open my eyes. As I read, I’m underlining and making notes (journaling Bibles help with that!).

Then I hit play on my Through the Word app and listen to what Chris Langham or one of his associates has to say about the chapter. While I listen, I’m making more notes as things become clear or I make connections I’ve never made before. I’ll sometimes go back again, afterwards, to make even more notes. It seems the more connections you make the more you see new connections.

It’s such an easy way to gain a greater relationship with The Word, which is necessary if we want a greater relationship with God, and a close relationship with God is an absolute necessity.

Time is short, my friends. If we’re putting off this vital aspect of our walk with God we are making a grave mistake. The day will come, soon, when there will be no tomorrow. I mean that literally. If you’ve studied the end times at all, you know what I mean.

Blessings!

Celebrating Jesus, The Word!

Tammy C

Tardive Diskenesia

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You’ve heard about it in TV commercials, I’m sure. Unless something has changed and the doctor didn’t mention it, there is exactly one medication that helps with Tardive Diskenesia – Ingrezza. Jack’s been on it for…quite a while.

Here’s something vitally important that we’ve learned recently.

Ingrezza controls Jack’s TD beautifully if, and ONLY IF, he takes it consistently AND in conjunction with CBD (cannabidiol). We learned this when he got off CBD for several weeks and the TD got really really bad.

So if you know someone who tried Ingrezza and it didn’t work, they may want to see if their doctor will let them start taking CBD and try again.

Celebrating Jesus and knowledge!

Tammy C

I AM NOT GIVING MEDICAL ADVICE. I AM ONLY SHARING WHAT HAS PROVEN TO HELP MY HUSBAND.

He Walks With Me

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http://Photo by GEORGE DESIPRIS from Pexels

“He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.” These are much more than words to an old song. 

I grew up in a typical American Christian home. By that I mean that we loved God, but lived our Christian walks on our own terms. Generally, that meant we went to church when we felt like it, prayed when we needed something, and read our Bibles when we wanted to. For me, everything changed when I started attending church regularly at 18 and began to realize what I’d been missing. 

As I grew in my walk with Him I discovered true hunger. The closer I got to God, the closer I wanted to be. I was in my 30s when, as a minister was talking about one of the many conversations he’d had with God, an undeniable desire rose up in me. “God,” I begged. “I want that type of relationship with You!”

Long story short: Today I have it. It took a while. I had to learn to shut up and listen, to recognize His voice, and once I recognized it I had to learn to always be listening for it – and to respond. A conversation, you see, takes two. Now we talk a LOT. 

It may be Him starting the conversation, or it may be me. It may be deep theological converse or it may be lighthearted stuff. He answers questions I once would not have dared ask, and He tells me secrets. Sometimes He ambushes me with information I’d not even considered asking for. He warns me of things to come, and He reassures and comforts me when I’m hurt or afraid and run to His arms. 

Now, here’s the point. I’m not special. The only thing about me that’s different from some others is the strong desire I have for this relationship, and my willingness to do whatever is necessary to develop and maintain it. I’ve had to seek Him out and spend time with Him; I’ve had to work at getting to know Him just like I’ve had to do with my earthly best friend. 

God wants everyone to have this type of relationship with Him. It’s what He created us for. 

How do I know?
He told me. 

Celebrating walking with Jesus!
Tammy C

But is He Your Lord?

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We ask the question, “Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?” and the one who has accepted salvation automatically says, “Yes.” I would ask it differently today. “Ok, He is your Savior, but is He your Lord?” There is a difference.

The one who has accepted Jesus as his Savior has been saved from bondage to sin, and every time he realizes he has sinned he can repent, ask forgiveness, and be pulled back up out of that sin as one is saved from drowning in water.

But here’s the thing. Some people are having to repent of sin continually while others walk more consistently upright. What’s the difference?

It’s Jesus’ lordship.

In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?” This is the key. If Jesus is truly my Lord, I will do what He says. If I do what He says, I will be much less likely to sin and have to be rescued from the consequences of that sin. So how do I do what He says?

First, I must know what He says. This takes active effort on my part. It requires getting into the Word, studying it. (2 Tim. 2:15)

Then I have to apply His Word to my life. I have to live what I’ve learned. This requires me to continually choose His will over sin.

And, ultimately, I strive to develop an intimate relationship with Him, to learn to hear His voice so clearly that a whispered, “Go this way,” keeps me on the right path.

I will – I choose to – keep Him as my Lord.

Celebrating Jesus’ lordship!

Tammy C

Son of Redemption

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I was asked, recently, about my favorite Bible story. What is it, and why? I had a hard time choosing, but I said it was Ruth. Why? Because the book of Ruth tells a powerful story of redemption.

Elimelech blew it. He let fear of famine drive him out of Judah into Moab, where he knew he wasn’t supposed to be. All seemed well for a time, but eventually he and both of his sons died; his lineage was now not just polluted by rebellion, but was dead.

And then there was Ruth, a Moabite who had no business even being in the family. Even so, because of her faithfulness to Naomi, she was welcomed with open arms and eventually married Boaz, Elimelech’s kinsman redeemer.

In marrying Ruth, Boaz did more than redeem her. He redeemed Elimelech’s line when he gave Ruth a son, Obed, who counted as a descendant of Elimelech and would carry on the family name as well as inheriting Elimelech’s property. Obed, truly, was a son of redemption.

And Obed begat Jesse.

And Jesse begat David.

And through David came Jesus.

And so the son of redemption is the ever-so-great grandfather of our Redeemer.

Celebrating Jesus, my Redeemer!
Tammy C

He Truly Understands Me

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While driving home from the office, I had a moment of… I felt a little spiritually unproductive; I suppose that’s the best way to say it. I thought, “Oh, I need to turn on some worship music or my Bible study app.” Then I heard God’s voice.

“But you like the silence.”

“Yes,” I responded. “I do.”

“So enjoy it.”

Believe it or not, I cried in that moment as I was reminded that He truly understands me. People, God GETS you! He knows all the details of what makes you tick. Even such a simple thing as this, that I value silence because I get it so seldom, is an important thing to Him. He cares about the details!

Celebrating Jesus and God’s love for me!
Tammy C

Thy Will be Done

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As a child, I heard numerous prayers that included the words, “if it be Thy will.” As a result, I had one picture of “Thy will be done.” Mind you, that picture is not inaccurate, simply only one part of a picture.

As an adult, I ask that God’s will, and only His will, be done in situations and people’s lives all the time. But today…

In this week’s Flourish Journey (passionpublishing) I was led to read Psalm 19 and several other scriptures in light of “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven,” and I saw something new. Or, perhaps I should say I saw an old truth with fresh eyes.

I want God’s will to be done in and through me just as surely today as it will be when I live in Heaven. I want to continually and actively choose to do God’s will, to continually and actively choose to let God’s will be done in and through me here on this earth just as surely and consistently as I will when I’m living in His presence.

Psalm 19:13a shows this was David’s heart. “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.”

Yes, my prayer is, “God, help me. Help me to live out Your will today just as purely and completely as I will live it in Heaven.”

Celebrating Jesus and the power He gives!

Tammy C

Keep Me Close

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I’ve been studying in Psalm 61 this week. It is one of David’s prayers, and it provides a very important key to his relationship with God.

• lead me to the rock that is higher than I

• my refuge

• a strong tower against the foe

• to dwell in your tent forever

• shelter of your wings

• enthroned in God’s presence forever

When we pray, we tend to ask for things. They can be good and vital (God, deliver us from this pandemic!), but they should not be our only prayers.

We can learn much from David, whom God called the apple of His eye, and we can learn much from this prayer. There was one thing David wanted above all else.

Essentially, he was asking, “God, keep me close to you.”

My God, I want that too!

Celebrating Jesus while praying!

Tammy C

Lemons & Lemonade

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You know the expression, right? “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”

Being a word nerd, certain things have tended to bug me, like the restaurant that was named Happy Landing’s. I wanted SO very much to go inside and ask for the owner, who was obviously named Happy Landing. I mean, seriously, when you pay good money for a sign or company name…

And then there are the memes and things that float around Facebook. I’d get soooooo frustrated when I’d find a really cool one only to discover that it contained a glaring error. I’d want to share these things, because they were really good, but they were ruined.

And then I stumbled across the delightful Instagram account @pleasehatethesethings. After an insane amount of time spent chortling with outraged glee over their offerings, I realized that I could do something to turn my frustrations around.

Instantly, @ruinedagoodone was born, and just today I realized what it has done. This account that is specifically set aside for the many word failures that fill this world has made me able to… Well, I still cringe when I see such things, but then I start laughing instead of being outraged, and I either snap a picture or hit “save image” before heading to my Instagram account at the earliest opportunity.

And, as they say, I said all that to say this. Our pet peeves, the things that really irk us? I’ve discovered that, in some cases at least, it really is possible to turn them around – to make lemonade out of those lemons. Since I love lemonade, this is a double win for me.

Celebrating Jesus while making lemonade!

Tammy C

Keep Away

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“Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”
1 John 5:21 (NLT)

Keep away from anything that MIGHT!

The very last sentence in 1 John is so powerful. Children of God, if there is even A CHANCE that this thing – this new hobby, this relationship, this habit – MIGHT take God’s place in your heart, KEEP AWAY!

Celebrating Jesus!

Tammy C