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Cindy Colley

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

The Lily Annette Contest!…Go!

She will be here next month! Lord willing, some time around the middle of March, Lily Annette Colley will grace our family with her sweet presence and this mammy, whose name is Cynthia ANNETTE Colley, cannot wait. Her North Jackson family has given her every material thing she could need for the first year of her life (at least) and her older siblings, Maggie and Ellis have been thinking a lot about how to be the best-ever sister and brother. Lily will be a blessed baby, for sure. God is supreme, of course, in all His care. But he exhibits his marvelous wonder, perhaps most of all today, when he breathes into tiny lungs the breath of life and lays a baby in the arms of a Christian mother for the first time. Glenn and I are already praying for heaven for Lily. 

So, in the tradition of The Colley House, we will present the best “weight-guesser” upon Lily’s arrival, with a $50.00 gift of choice from www.thecolleyhouse.org. Any item(s) you want from the site with a combined value of $50.00 for the one who most correctly guesses the birth weight of Lily. Please also guess the time of day of her birth, in case we have a tie. All submissions must be sent to byhcontest@gmail.com and must be received at least 24 hours prior to Lily’s birth. SO go! We need a birth weight and a time of birth (not a date…too much pressure there…just the time of day). 

Blessings and prayers for all the spring babies! So many sisters are carrying, in wombs right now, the next line of Spirit sword-bearers for the greatest Cause!

(Colleyanna is going first. She says this Lily-cousin will weigh 7 pounds, 6 ounces and be born at 3:30 pm. Good luck, Colleyanna!)

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

What Have I Done?

 

Sometimes when the heart-load is heavy 

And burdens are grievously borne.

My shoulders stoop and my spirit.

Turns, painfully, inward… to mourn. 

 

Things incomprehensible just seem 

To grow larger and broader in scope. 

The devil is there. He embezzles

My moments, good memories and hope.

 

The question, I know, is the wrong one.

From the darkness, I will myself free.

It’s the wrong one, but finally I whisper. 

What have I done, Lord? Why  me? 

 

Then from the din of the voices

That call in the tumult of loss,

For more labor, more hurt, more investments

I hear one small voice from the cross. 

 

“It is finished.” He said from Golgotha

Through parched lips and in that last heave.

He finished for me, a way forward

Salvation! Redemption. Reprieve.

 

My hands have never been nail-pierced

My back is not bleeding for grace 

To people who’ve mocked and reviled me

No one’s ever spat in my face. 

 

He didn’t just do it. He planned it.

The Word became Son for my soul.

He poured out himself in submission 

So I could be blameless and whole. 

 

The question’s the right one, reflecting

On hope, as He’s made mine to be. 

I ponder such grace, and I whisper. 

What have I done, Lord? Why me? 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

From the Dig, but for every Kingdom Mother…

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home (John 19:25-27)

“From that hour at the cross, he took her into his own home” signifies that this relationship was for as long as Mary lived. We are fairly certain John outlived her because he was the most aged of all disciples, as far as we know, at his death on Patmos. We know that he was faithful in all things, and especially in persecution, both from the epistles he wrote and especially from Revelation. The fact that he took her into his own home permanently seems to me to indicate that they both would have looked back on the statement from the cross when they first beheld each other as mother and son, as the beginning of something very wonderful, instigated—even commanded—by the little boy she raised, who was, simultaneously, the Son of God.  

Who gets to physically care for the mother of the Lord? I KNOW John felt the privilege. But, additionally,  what Mother would not look back with fondness when she knew her son had the whole world on his shoulders—all the sin and sorrow—and, yet, He looked down and connected Mary and John. Wouldn’t that be a very dear relationship forged by her son? 

Jesus  had said “I must be about my Father’s business,” and “My hour is not yet come,”  and “For this hour I have come.” Yet, in all the import of the establishment of the kingdom , He settled her with the most trusted disciple. If she was there on Pentecost, and she, almost assuredly, was, then she surely came there with John. When she became old or sick, John was the one who made sure she had the elder-care that she needed. I just think this had to be an amazing relationship. 

John was at the tomb, outrunning Peter. Don’t you know that Mary, living in the house of John, from the hour at the cross, knew he was going and was anxiously waiting to hear about the “state of the tomb.” I just think so…and I think Jesus, after the resurrection, had to see his mother. We know he saw John and he would have made sure the situation He provided was what he wanted it to be. 

These are just some thoughts relevant to a portion of our dig this month. Just thoughts. But I think there’s evidence in the very words “from that hour.” There was a lot ahead of Mary and John and they were destined to look back at this moment at the foot of the cross as they faced the days of triumph (Acts 2) together and then almost immediately the persecution of John began in Acts 3-5. 

I also have to remember another mother (Matthew 20:20) who asked Jesus if her two sons, James and John, could have the places of preeminence in the kingdom of Jesus. Salome’s  presumption was pointed out by Jesus who made her aware that she did not even know anything about what she was asking: 

You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

In Mark 15:40, we see that Salome, ironically, did come to know the suffering Jesus spoke about in Matthew 20:21. She was looking at the cross from a far-away vantage point, while John and Mary were apparently close enough to hear his voice clearly; likely close enough for Mary to see her son’s blood as it ran down his face and poured forth from his hands and feet. Salome was also one of the first to peer into the empty tomb in Mark 16.  Her request that her sons be elevated in the kingdom had been granted. She didn’t know that, in the asking for the top spots in the Lord’s kingdom, she was asking for servant positions and the agony of persecution. But she was.  In a kingdom where service equals greatness, her son John, was to be baptized with the suffering to which Jesus alluded when she asked if her sons could sit on the right and left hands of Jesus in the kingdom. And what greater place at the right hand of the Lord than the servant’s honor of caring for the sweet mother who had given the Lord birth?  

This digging has enriched my mother’s heart! If my son is ever ridiculed or chastised for his faithful heart (…and sometimes he is, though in much more benign ways), may I rejoice in this kingdom privilege that honors him. 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Mama’s K.I.S.S. #76: Sewing/Cooking Classes

As you know, if you’ve been reading, for quite some time, I’ve occasionally been running little installments called “Mama’s K.I.S.S.” I know that lots of readers could give many more and far more creative ideas than I can offer, but these installments are just a few tried and true and mostly old-fashioned ideas for putting service hearts in our kids.  This is number 76 of a list of one hundred ways we train our kids to serve. K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Kids In Service Suggestions”.

I remember being in middle school when I was growing up in the Adamsville, Alabama church of Christ. I doubt that  any adult guided Laura and Marsha as they did this, but rather, I think they took it upon themselves to sort of mentor a group of three middle school girls.  I’m 65 years old and I still fondly remember the outings, sleepovers and service projects that these older (11th-12th grade) Christian girls planned for us. Laura’s parents owned a small apartment complex and they would let us have a vacant one for  our sleepovers. Those were the days. These very cool (and godly)  teenagers took time for us; and we (the middle-schoolers) thought we had arrived.

You should encourage your high school daughters to do this. They can be game-changers in the worlds of kids who are younger. Specifically, if your teens know how to cook, put together a little cooking class on a Saturday afternoon and just let the “older”s instruct the “younger”s as the group prepares just one dish or cake or pie. Make it for a specific service project: for a widow visit, a hospital waiting room delivery or a fire station appreciation gift. Let the older girls drive the younger ones to deliver. This is a first taste of  service independently from parents, but what a great way to launch out.

Alternately, do the same thing if your teen girls know how to sew or embroider or crochet.  Gather the needed tools and get together in the fellowship hall or at home. Let the “older”s share the skill with “younger”s and then deliver together. Middle school is a tough time and, for some, it can get a bit dark–even depressing. If you are an older teen girl or if you are the mom who can encourage an older teen girl to be a blessing to those just three or four years behind, by all means, reach out! It takes minimal organization and a little time. Possibly, the people who will thank you most are the moms of those middle-school girls.

I said that I doubted that Marsha and Laura were directed by any adult. But now that I think back about it, it could have been my own mother, trying to get me through some challenging days, who suggested to the older girls that they “take us under their wing.”  My mom was the 5th and 6th grade girls’ Bible class teacher. She could have very well put the bug in the ears of those older girls, who had also been in her class a few short years before. My mom was creative like that!   You can be, too!

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

GBN…Praying it’s the Next Right Thing!

For the past 22 years, my husband, Glenn, has preached from the pulpit of the West Huntsville church in Huntsville, Alabama. For ten of those years, he had the great blessing of serving as one of her shepherds. I don’t know, for sure, how many classes he’s taught there and how many lessons he’s preached, but, conservatively, we would have to know it’s been well over a thousand messages—maybe two thousand, all told. That’s a bunch of his life’s words that have been spoken as a part of the work of this great church. 

The work he has agreed to take now is full-time work with the Gospel Broadcasting Network. We do not believe he will preach less (probably more), but he will preach in a different and broader venue. He will continue to hold seminars and gospel meetings around the nation, but he, along with other men, will also be developing tools for use in churches around the English-speaking world. His first two projects will be developing an elders’ seminar to be presented both live-and-in-person, and digitally for churches to use to strengthen leadership;  and, a digital series for congregations to use to teach and nurture new converts. Glenn will get to do Q&A sessions for the network. He’s excited about these and other projects that will follow, Lord willing. Maybe best of all is the fact that GBN now has many people at any given time, who request Bible study as they search for the path to knowing God and salvation. Glenn will get to study with lots of those people. He will potentially get to lead more people to the Lord than he ever has before.  We are already praying about these souls. 

With GBN director Don Blackwell (center) and Alan Highers

We both believe in the work of GBN. We already love her director, Don Blackwell, and have enjoyed a long and effectual relationship with the board of directors of GBN and those faithful people who make up its staff. We are amazed at the great work done by GBN and at the fact that it is funded entirely by donations from the people of God. On top of this, the programming of the network never contains advertising of any sort or solicitation of funds. There are lots of GBN products—digital books, commentaries, podcasts, etc…from which people benefit, but they are almost always free products and they are never sold sold by GBN. (The GBN digital commentaries are sold by Logos, by agreement, but the monies collected from those goes to the writers; not to GBN.)  GBN is completely supported by contributions and there is never any pitch made to those who are not members of the church of Christ! The available free GBN resources are found here:  https://gbntv.org/ This is amazing evidence of the generosity of Christians. We are excited that the network is blessed to be stronger today and to reach more people than ever before. Many have been led to obey the gospel and claim the hope of an eternal inheritance as a result of the work of GBN. The work is phenomenal in lots of ways. Glenn will continue to serve on its board of directors. That board is under the guidance of the elders at the Southaven church near Memphis, Tennessee.

We are thankful that we will get to keep working, as members, with our family at West Huntsville. We would have had a very hard time taking this new job with GBN, had the West Huntsville elders thought it best for us to worship elsewhere. We love them and we think it’s important for our grandchildren to be a part of the West Huntsville church. We know of no greater eldership to be watching for the souls our family.   I’m especially grateful that our Digging Deep podcasts will continue to come to you from West Huntsville. I hope you will keep  thanking the elders at West Huntsville as you have opportunity. 

SO, here are the short answers to the questions folks have wondered and/or asked me in the last few days. These are pending, as always, that our Lord is willing. 

No. We are not moving from the red house on Powell Street. 

Yes. The GBN work is a full-time job. 

Yes. Glenn will still travel and hold seminars and meetings, and I will get to do ladies days and PTP and camps, etc…as the schedule allows

No. We will not be leaving the West Huntsville church. We will be active and working.

No. Glenn will no longer be filling the local pulpit at West Huntsville. We are praying for the best man God has for that pulpit!

Yes. The new edition of Digging Deep will be coming out next summer. 

Yes. The podcasts will still be coming from West Huntsville. 

Yes. I hope Jennifer Benavides will keep helping me for as long as we both shall dig and we hope to dig for a long time to come! 

Yes!  I hope to get to travel some with Glenn in this new job. I love getting to be with sisters, and I may have a grandchild or two along for some of the adventures. 

Please keep us in your prayers. We want to “do good and no harm” as Glenn often admonishes his friends as he tells them good-bye. The good we crave in our lives is for heaven and His glory.

 

                       

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Transcripts available for 2025 Podcasts!

This one will be brief, but it will be game-changing for those of you with hearing loss or other auditory issues. Jen found, and we purchased, a great program to bring you transcripts for the Digging Deep podcasts, both the Dig-a Bits and the monthly live podcast. So many of you have been asking for this for a long while, so it makes us happy to make these available.  They are also great for adding to any notebook you may be keeping.

To be transparent, I feel a bit of trepidation here, because…well, I am sure that there will be lots of “um”s and “oh, that was the wrong verse”s, etc…. Further, the auto-tech doesn’t know exactly how to punctuate correctly and divide the paragraphs.  Most daunting, if I make an error (and I will make many)… then, whoosh…there it will be in print forever and ever!  But, maybe you (and I) can ignore these kinds of scary little things,  for the greater good of the diggers who want/need this technology. . (I just looked over the first transcript and I am not sure I will be looking at these very much.  I think I’ll be too hyper-aware of every word and pause and mistake.)

Please pray that even this small adaptation will be a tool for someone to come to Christ. He is the God of MORE.

The first one is here: https://thecolleyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TranscriptDigabit140501.pdf . The podcastss will always contain a link to the pdf transcript.

One more thing, If it takes me a bit to get back to your question, please forgive me. I get lots of inquiries about the study and I really do try to answer them all. But they frequently come when I am away from the book and the computer and it may take me a while to be able to pause and get the DD brain cogitating. There have been a few times when questions just ended up under my radar. You are the best at patience and forgiveness. So, thank-you!