​How is it that we avoid one of the enemy’s subtle but strong schemes of worrying and wondering? By staying in our today!

Thanks for joining us for Faith-Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United. Today’s Love Letter is a great reminder of what happens when we don’t stay in our today.
 
~Love Letter~
 
My warrior, refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with the challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. This is such a good Word for you. You see, when you begin to worry about tomorrow, things you have no control over, you open yourself to fear.
 
Fear is such a destructive tool of the enemy to steal your peace and your joy in the moments, and to destroy your hope. Doesn't that sound right? When you get caught up in the plans of how you'll do this or that, not really knowing if things will even happen tomorrow, this becomes such a waste of your time and energy.
 
This is a constant test of your faith. I know your struggles, but I'll help you with every anxious thought as you continually turn to Me, looking for My strength to infuse you. Just like on the day of Pentecost as they were infused with My power, you too can be empowered as you believe, trust and turn to Me.
 
You must determine that My Word is truth and you're going to believe it, no matter what comes. Beloved, there are so many examples of My faithfulness to the hopeless, and I got every single one of them through ALL their difficulties.
 
~DebraDolce

Welcome to Thursday’s Truthful Humor with Trench Classes United where we embrace truth and share laughter from it.

A very successful lawyer parked his brand-new Mercedes in front of his office, ready to show it off to his colleagues.
      
As he got out, a truck passed too close and completely tore off the door on the driver's side.
      
The lawyer immediately grabbed his cell phone, dialed 911, and within minutes a policeman pulled up. Before the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the lawyer started screaming hysterically. His Mercedes, which he had just picked up the day before, was now completely ruined and would never be the same, no matter what the body shop did to it.
      
When the lawyer finally wound down from his ranting and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust and disbelief. "I can't believe how materialistic you lawyers are," he said. "You are so focused on your possessions that you don't notice anything else."
      
"How can you say such a thing?" asked the lawyer.
      
The cop replied, "Don't you know that your left arm is missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn off when the truck hit you."
      
  "What!" screamed the lawyer. "My Rolex is gone!"

What happens when possessions become more important than people? Nothing good; that’s for sure! For more encouragement, join our Facebook community @ www.facebook.com/trenchclassesunited or take a tour at www.trenchclassesunited.com

She was glad that another holiday was behind her. It had been a little tough, especially at night when she imagined families gathered to watch the fireworks that lit up every sky while casting shadows in her soul. 

Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United. Today’s blog shares a powerful experience that brought revelation and reality to the cornerstone of our relationship with Christ, which is forgiveness.
 
She settled into her coffee time with Jesus, she rewound the events of the day before. Almost immediately she felt the sweet sting of conviction at the surge of hurt and anger that had come out of seemingly nowhere as she lay by the pool…alone. And she had acted on it by sending a text message, or two, announcing her anger and grief. She realized she wasn’t just grieving the loss of her marriage but also the loss of his family that had been her family for almost 18 years.
That realization validated her and convicted her all at the same time.

She opened her Bible to a passage in the Book of Luke to review the previous day’s message about prayer. Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray. She read it and read it again, as well as the commentary/expository notes below.

“Forgiveness is the cornerstone of a relationship with Christ.”
What in the world, she thought aloud, I thought I was reading about prayer?
He didn’t waste any time in responding.
“70x7.”
“Why do you use that number anyway?” She retorted.
“Because life will keep reminding you of how you’ve been wronged and by who!”

His gentle word caused all of her would-be resentments to flee and a peace that transcended all understanding flooded her broken heart, once again. Yes, forgiveness is often a process, and as the reminders continue to come, she was determined to forgive and allow Him to put the pieces of her shattered heart back together.

Friend, is there someone you haven’t forgiven for something? May I encourage you to practice this 70x7 principle of forgiveness, and by the way, if you’re counting, are you really forgiving?

Forgiven,
Kim-Evinda

Welcome to Tuesday’s Trench Humor where we like to pull the truth from something funny.
So there’s a trial going on in a small town and the prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand, a grandmotherly, elderly woman. His first question: "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"
      
She responded, "Why, yes, Mr. Williams. I've known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a rising big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
      
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?"
      
She again replied, "Why, yes I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. He’s been a real disappointment to me too. He's lazy, bigoted; he has a drinking problem. The man can't build a normal relationship with anyone. And his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state."
      
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counsellors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you'll be in jail for contempt within 5 minutes!"

Ahh, isn’t it so true that our reputations are either infected or respected by our actions!
For more encouragement, join our Facebook community @ www.facebook.com/trenchclassesunited or take a tour at www.trenchclassesunited.com

Kim-Evinda

That still, small voice
That you can barely hear
Amidst the noise
 
You block it out
When your mind screams and shouts
 
Breathe in
Breathe out
YHWH
 
Can you hear it now?
 
Do you trust it now?
 
Have you tested it out?
 
A challenge for you now
To help remove the self-hindrance
and shadows of doubt -
 
Write it out
Talk out loud
He is more than just a ‘Holy Cloud’
He is your first friend
Your vision
Your supernatural hand
 
So ask
and He will give
The answers that lie within
 
and it can be as simple as this:
“O Holy Spirit, Beloved of my soul, I adore you.
Enlighten, guide me, console me.
Tell me what I must do, give me your orders.
I promise to subject myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will.”  — Cardinal Mercier
 
Amen
and let it be
Breathe - YHWH
and you will see
Just how good and gracious
He can be
 
It will not always be easy
With this human mind
The one track kind
But stop and stare
Next time
The train rolls by
 
Let it pass
and then decide
To listen to that still, small voice
That lives, and breathes inside
 
You, my friend, only have so much time…
 
“Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield.
 For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted (relied on and been confident) in His holy name. Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.” - Psalm 33:20-22

Abigail Rice

Love covers a multitude of sins, what does that even mean?
Thanks for joining us for Faith-Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United. Today’s Love Letter emphasizes the truth that His love for us is a lasting, ongoing victory eternally.
~Love Letter~
 
My child, love empowers you to fulfill My law as you carry each other's troubles. As you love enough to carry each other's troubles, you will discover valuable treasure: You will see how others have struggles and pain in their life just like you and that you all need each other. How wonderful to be trusted by others to pray for them. You know how you feel when others surround you in prayer and they don't let go until there's a breakthrough.
 
Let your love reach out and pray for those you see are struggling, like the young mother whose child is fussy. Look at all that goes on around you. You don't have to be asked to pray; instead, let your love and compassion see the need and respond to it.
 
Is it more important that someone ask you to pray or that I answer your prayer? Now that's carrying someone else's troubles. You see, you were made to love and in so doing, reach out to meet the needs right where I've placed you.
 
Beloved, everyone needs to be a prayer warrior, warring first for yourself, then your family and on through to your nation and the world. 

~DebraDolce

What does that look like? I’m so glad you asked. It is the act of focusing…
On what’s right instead of what’s wrong
On the Problem Solver instead of the problem
On the Healer, not the stealer
On the Triumphant one, not the tragedy
On the One who never leaves, not the ones who left
On the Provider, not the provision
On the Author of life, not all the takers
On the Promise Keeper, not the broken promise
On the One that is greater in me than he who is in the world
On His strength, not my weakness
On His love for me and not the hatred all around us

Friend, these situations, circumstances and seasons we find ourselves in our opportunities for God to be God in our lives, opportunities to change the direction of our focus that we may be more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

Truthfully,
Kim-Evinda

It’s not fair, she argued. Why, when I was the one hurt, do I have to be the one to change? She waited for an answer.

Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United. Have you ever encountered this situation where you were the one hurt by someone, but God was asking you to change? Join Kim-Evinda as she wrestles with this very thing.

When the answer came, it wasn’t what she wanted to hear…at all. But the truth of the answer settled in her soul like the missing piece of a puzzle, nestled perfectly, ending the search. There was no arguing with the truth.

“My daughter, when someone sins against you, you don’t have to rub their noses in it; when someone is not doing what you want them to do, you don’t need to remind them. I see it all. Now I have a question for you: What if your one purpose was to love this person like they’ve not been loved? To say nothing at all but to love in action?”

She didn’t argue; she couldn’t. All she could do was to pray for strength to do just that. And yet, there was a diamond that glistened to the surface of it all to carry with her to and through any conflict. It even coincided with what her mentor had just shared with her: if he/she is showing resentment, partner with forgiveness; if he/she is showing anger, partner with love and say nothing at all. It will speak louder than any words of wisdom you may impart.

Friend, oftentimes, we need to be the change we want to see. There’s no arguing with truth and the fact of the matter is He who began a new and good work will be faithful to complete it…until we see Him face to face! (Philippians 1:6)

Love,
Kim-Evinda

I’m a big rom/com fan…love those happy endings where the man is usually the hero, overcoming his own fears, frustrations as he stays focused on the prize, fixing whatever’s wrong to make things right…and from a man’s perspective, his need is to be her hero, to feel needed, wanted, appreciated, valued.

Let’s face it; when we stop and really look at the events taking place around us, and truly take the time to understand, our soul can’t help but long for a hero to rush in and fix it all…

Friends don’t wait until He comes to believe He’s the ultimate Hero, the one who will eventually make all things right.

Truthfully,
Kim-Evinda

Have you ever been so burdened by life that you wished you could just float away from it all?
 
Thanks for joining us for Monday’s Message. Abigail gets incredibly vulnerable with today’s poem; and yet, her words lead her back to the burden breaker.
 
A heaviness falls upon me
Like a weighted blanket
That I cannot shake
Because I cannot name
This yoke
That I cannot break
 
This burden weighs
And it stays
Right here
Constantly in place
Like the sound of the train
Right out your window
That noise you get used to
 
But then one day you become aware
Of the burdens you left bare
Out in the open
With no room
So they float
And they haunt
And they loom
 
Over your head
As you lay in your bed
You pray
and you cry out
What is this yoke?
What is this barrier?
Lord, please carry her
Away from my heart
Away from my home
All I want to do is float
Into your freedom
With a faith that only You could believe in
The healing of my bones
My body as it groans
And cries out
 
Lord, i’m praying
But i’m not seeing
Lord, im aware
But i’m not feeling
 
My mind cannot be still
By body stuck in a loop
Like the knobs on a reel
 
Is this real?
 
Why can’t I feel
The power of Your presence
and Your peace that transcends this
Momentary affliction
 
Lord, please lift this
 
What is this derision?
 
and then You show me my yoke
As You walk next to me
Removing it from the sinews of bones
 
and I let go
 
But as we get to the end
Of each burden that You lift
The last of them is this
 
A small mustard seed
Planted beneath mighty trees
It’s roots are growing
But not yet deep
It’s leaves are blowing
But the branches are weak
and You gently remind me
That faith is all that I need
 
To stand firm
and root deep
and let You, Lord, be the wind that blows my leaves
Be the mighty trunk that puts me at ease
Be the Vine that caresses me
As my branches lift
My mind begins to shift
 
and You whisper
Daughter, remember this
You are here
and  I am Home
The only place you’ll ever need to go
Where the waters run
and the trees grow
For you are loved
and you are known
Your freedom is found
In faith that realizes
You are never alone

Abigail Rice