Ahh, for such a time as this when all seems so uncertain… uncertainty leads us to fear, but if we remember HE has not changed and will not change no matter what changes come our way.
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Thanks for joining us for Monday’s Message with Abigail and Trench Classes United. We trust that Abigail’s words will be such a sweet reminder of this very truth.
 
Lord, I need You today
Give me Your clarity today
Give me breath
Give me strength
For I am merely withering
Wasting away
Can You please show me the way?
For as I fall
I pray
I cry out to You
During this season
Of something so new
So unknown
Where is my home?
I desire to rest in You
But I can't breakthrough
Are you still there?
Or have you forgotten about me?
Despicable me
Once a soldier
Now as bare as a fallen tree
Are You still there?
Are You even listening?
Because I'm still here
Just a broken dream
Yet, somehow still radiating
Creating life
So evergreen
Don't You see?
You have called me
Yet, I feel so lost
So lonely
My thoughts
They haunt me
Why won’t You show me?
How do I pull out of this mess
This weakness
This upheaval
mountain of distress
I am standing before You
Naked
Undressed
Lord, please clothe me
With your light beams so Holy
So I can be
The servant that You need
I am here
So unaware
But I am ready, Lord
I am prepared.
 
"…'I know your deeds, that you have a name
That you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up,
And strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die;
He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments;
And I will not erase his name from the book of life,
And I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."
 -Revelation 3:1b-2a;5

-Abigail Rice

Wow, isn’t it so easy to criticize others’ actions and attitudes? What if for every judgmental criticism you gave you received three back? One thing’s for sure; your tendency to deflect versus reflect would increase.
 
Why is it so easy to see the speck in others’ lives but not the log in our own? Thanks for joining us for Faith Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United.
  
~Love Letter~

​My love, forsake the habit of criticizing and judging others, and then you will not be criticize and judged in return. Don't look at others and pronounce them guilty, and you will not experience guilty accusations yourself.
 
Forgive over and over and you will be forgiven over and over. This is a very easy trap to fall into. Politicians, for example, right away you begin to criticize them and become offended and that opens the door for the enemy to come in. You should hate the evil, but still love the sinner because I came and died for them. I desire that none be lost!
 
The more you give into criticism the easier it is to do, then you move into ministers and their money and then your spouse or in-laws and how quickly you slide into the criticism of yourself, which is the enemies ultimate goal.
 
Did I not make you in My image? Therefore you are perfect in My sight. Would you judge Me? You do at times, you do by picking apart all that I have made. So repent – turn away from that, break that habit and begin to speak life, pray for those you desire to criticize.
 
Beloved, forgive over and over as many times as you need to, that your heart will be pure. 
 
~DebraDolce

Thanks for joining us for Thursday’s Trench Truth, all about relationships and will be for a few weeks as we head on into our Relationship Trench Class, How to Love Who You Love.
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Do you tend to struggle to show emotions/cry and think that those who want more connection with you are too needy, or…are you comfortable with emotions and able to offer comfort to those who need it?

What if I were to tell you that there is scientific, psychological and even Biblical research to prove that if emotions were basically stuffed, not allowed, expressed or understood as a child, then we aren’t comfortable with showing them or receiving them as an adult. But that’s not how we were designed. God created us with emotions, mind, body and soul. Limping along life without being able to express emotions and not being understood for those emotions is like a car without gas, a boat without a captain, a plane without a pilot…it’s dangerous and will cause emotional wrecks.

We are offering you an opportunity to not only change that cycle but break it once and for all and learn to love who you love healthily.

For more information, visit the classes tab while you’re here (trenchclassesunited.com/classes).

Baffled beyond words, I listened to the nurse mimic my words to her staff as though I couldn’t hear her. “She says, ‘It’s on the books; well it’s not in my book!’” The phone finally disconnected on the other end and I sat there stunned, so stunned I had to pause.
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Have you ever experienced a moment where you’re like “Oh no, they didn’t”? Thanks for joining us today for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United. Today she shares such a moment as this and equips us with what to do in those moments. May our first Wednesday’s Word of the New Year cause you to pause.

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The dictionary definition for “pause” is “to stop temporarily in speech and/or action.”

I couldn’t pause too long as I was just starting a Zoom meeting. Unfortunately my attendee heard the conversation and we both just shook our heads, and I shook it off for the duration, but when my meeting was finished, I knew what I had to do.

I dialed my doctor’s office and another familiar voice answered; I thought it was her at first but then realized it wasn’t. I asked for her and then in an effort to explain why I was calling, I explained the situation from my perspective, first owning that I wasn’t sure if it was my tone, or my words, but to hear her mimic me when she thought we had hung up was very hurtful and I wanted to straighten it out. The nurse on the other end assured me she’d have her call me back.
It didn’t take long and as soon as she identified herself, I started to explain that I wasn’t sure if I had done something to offend her, or if I had used a harsh tone or what, but I had heard her mimicking me. Her response surprised me:

“I shouldn’t have done that or said that and I’m so sorry.”

There was a pause, “but you did come at me a little strong.”

“That’s fair,” I exclaimed. I’m so sorry; it’s not my intent. I’m not making excuses for that, it’s something I need to work on. I’m just juggling a bit right now and tired of not feeling well for more than three months and just want answers. So please forgive me and I’ll be sure and pause in order to express myself more appropriately.

We talked about the pressures this pandemic had placed on all of us and were on mutual communication wavelengths. And then she said something else that surprised me:

“I’m so glad you called; it takes a brave person to do what you did and I’m so thankful. If you need anything, you have my name now, call me and I’ll take care of you.”

I was so grateful that I was able to own it so I could disown it, but if I had not paused, I would have kept it inside, allowed it to fester and interfere with not only that relationship, but all of the relationships I have with my doctor’s staff. It just felt so good to resolve it so well.

Friend, can I encourage you in this new year, pray about a word that God would have you practice to make you a better person; chances are it will rub off on others and help others in your world to become better people, too.

Reflectively,
Kim-Evinda

Thanks so much for joining us for Tuesday’s Trench Truth, which is all about relationships and will be for a few weeks as we head on into our Relationship Trench Class, How to Love Who You Love.

Do you usually anticipate and meet the needs of those you love making you the giver more often than not in your relationships, or…you can say no to others even when you know they’ll be upset?

For those of us who are concerned about others’ well-being before our own run the risk of burnout, fueled by resentment and other negative emotions all of which lead to broken relationships.  It’s a crazy cycle but today I want to share with you an opportunity to break that cycle! Yes, that’s right, join us in a trench near you to learn how to love who you love, beginning with yourself.

Let’s face it, never has there been a greater need for relational help than now. A virus has wreaked not only physical havoc in our worlds but emotional and spiritual as well. Join us to learn how to love in such a time as this.
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For more information, visit the classes tab while you’re here (trenchclassesunited.com/classes).

To look down or up is a choice. Abigail’s poem is a perfect reminder of this. As we enter another year, by the grace of our Creator, may we keep our focus heavenward. Thanks for joining us for Monday’s Message with Abigail and Trench Classes United.
 
The first Monday of a new year
Do you hear it coming?
Do you feel it near?
The sky is rumbling
Yet the clouds disappear
So we can look in awe
In wonder
In reverence & fear
At the sight of our Lord
Our Most Holy
As mighty as a lion
As nimble as a deer
And where were we when the calling was so clear?
Over here
Not there
Worried in a world built around walls of fear
And when the flames finally appear
We point fingers
And we blame
When we should have been seeking
Calling His name
and where were we?
Seeking out fame
Trying to make a way
Of success
Nonetheless
Squandered at the attempt
Of trying to be the best
When for so long it has been so clear
How can we not see through the curtain so sheer?
Full of power and might
A magnificent sight
Drawing us near
Simply to be still
Simply to be here
The world can wait another day
We will all too soon will meet our fate
But for now come sit
And drink it all in
So rare is a moment as precious as this
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“And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom
For such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14b

-Abigail Rice

Wow…what a good way to start the New Year, craving righteousness like we crave a favorite meal, or connection with others. What a way to begin 2021 with our first Faith-Filled Friday with Debra Dolce and Trench Classes United.

Love Letter~
 
My children, how enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness. Do you crave righteousness? You crave all sorts of things throughout your life but you probably never thought of craving righteousness.
 
What would that look like to you? Is this a place you could live in or are there too many secrets in your heart? Secrets and righteousness cannot co-exist. To crave righteousness requires giving up or surrendering things that do not produce fruitfulness. Can you imagine being surrounded in a garden filled to overflowing with fruit and flowers? Oh the wonderful smells and sight of it all.
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Even though you sacrifice at times you never lose out, for there is never anything given that it isn't replaced with something beautiful. I gave and became the ultimate sacrifice because of My great love for you and I never ask you to do anything that I don't empower you to do.
 
Everything comes down to your own will and this is a great time to see just where you're at. Beloved, crave Me, crave My Word, crave being in My Presence, crave anything that draws you closer to Me and resist, actually fight against anything that would separate you from Me. It’s a choice, your choice.
 
~DebraDolce

Thanks for joining us for Thursday’s Truthful Humor we pull truth from a bit of humor.

For the umpteenth time Mrs. Youngston came to her pastor to tell him, "I'm so scared! Joe says he's going to kill me if I continue to come to your church."
      
"Yes, yes, my child," replied the pastor, more than a little tired of hearing this over and over. "I will continue to pray for you, Mrs. Youngston. Have faith - the Lord will watch over you."
      
"Oh yes, he has kept me safe thus far, only....."
      
"Only what, my child?"
      
"Well, now he says if I keep coming to your church, he's going to kill YOU!"
      
"Well, now," said the pastor, "Perhaps it's time to check out that little church on the other side of town."

Ahh, isn’t it so true that it’s so easy to believe when it’s comfortable but true faith takes us out of our “comfort” zone!
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For more encouragement, join our Facebook and Instagram communities; and take a tour at www.trenchclassesunited.com
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As he read the verses for the ADVENT word that day, a light turned on in her soul, and her brain, too, illuminating understanding to guide her through what was to come.

Thanks for joining us for the final Wednesday’s Word for this year with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United. Our hope is that her blog will help shed some light on whatever is going on or will go on that threatens to send you to a dark place.

He had read the devotional and she read the scriptures. The Advent word for that day was love…such a deep subject but it began correctly: love is not “dutiful,” but voluntary, and God, who sent His Son voluntarily to save each one of us was the ultimate example of love.

The verses continued to confirm what she already knew, and yet, there’s no such thing as being able to grasp and hold this kind of love for it is uncontainable. Every verse they read together just reinforced and continued to illuminate a new level of love of God, from God and about God.

There were two verses that shed more light and a deeper level of His love: Proverbs 17:17 which says “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” 1John 4:7-21 repeated this principle, that  whoever claims to love God must also love his brother.

She wondered aloud, “Why is a ‘brother’ born for adversity?” He didn’t understand either so they continued to read and study in search of answers to this mystery.

And then they discovered some powerful truths that not only reinforced His love for them but also shed light on this truth: Without God’s love, we can’t love as He’s called us to love our “brothers.”

Friends, God isn’t just talking about sibling rivalry – although knowing He understands this reinforces yet again another level of His love for us – and he’s not just speaking about a brother/sister in Christ. God is referencing the term “brother’ to mean relationships in general, and we all know that some relationships bring with them adversity.

Maybe you look at adversity negatively but what if we allowed that adversity to grow us, not defeat us? Romans 8:28 says He uses all things…let’s put “adversity” in there to bring this home:

And we know that all adversities God works for the good of those who…love HIM…

As we close out this year and enter 2021 perhaps we can take with us a fresh perspective when it comes to “brother” and “adversity” and allow those two to sharpen us, refine us, cut away anything that takes us away from “loving our brother.” Then 2021 is guaranteed to be a better year.

Thoughtfully,
Kim-Evinda

I think this is fantastic, I just love the guy's answer, and the interpretation for the word BIBLE. Enjoy and pass it on.
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If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!

If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.

If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

He wrote: "I've gone for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time, the preachers and priests are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all".

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column.

Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now.  In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.  But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.

 But I do know this:  They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.  If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.

Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" God ordained fellowship for our good, His glory. God left us His Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth to prepare us for an eternity with Him.

For more encouragement, join us at www.trenchclassesunited.com and our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/trenchclassesunite and follow us on Instagram, too at www.instagram.com/trenchclasses