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Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Mamas, You will want this!

Posted on April 24, 2024

We’re very excited to be bringing SOON a book for kids ages 7-12 written by Hannah Colley  and exploring doctrinal issues on a kid-friendly level. It seems to us at The Colley House that there’s a void of plain teaching about the nature of the church, the authority of the Word and the unique features about the Biblical things we teach–things like God’s truth on marriage and divorce, His plan for church leadership, the nature and the “why” of baptism and so much more. So Hannah presents a typical, but imaginary, family working through these issues in their Family Bible Times. I’m collaborating with her and I could not be more pleased. This is going to be great for YOUR Family Bible Time, too. I cannot wait for you to see it.

Here’s a blurb:

…Speaking of big and mature, apparently you start to think about things a lot more when you’re 8. Big people things. Take what I thought about and learned this week, for instance. I was playing with my friend Maddie a few days ago while our moms were drinking coffee downstairs. Maddie is a lot older than me—she’s 12–and has long straight blonde hair and braces.  Maddie was saying something about how her family always goes to the lake on Sundays in the summertime. I said, “On Sundays? You mean you don’t go to church on Sundays?”  She smiled at me and said, “I know church is really important to your family, Jane. That’s your truth. But my family thinks you can find God everywhere, especially out in nature, like at the lake—you don’t have to be at church to know God. That’s my truth, and it’s okay if it’s not the same as yours.” 

Well, I just sat there without saying anything else because I’d never heard anyone talk like that before. What did she even mean MY truth and HER truth, and whoever heard of going to the lake on Sunday? Didn’t her parents teach her that that’s the Lord’s Day? I was confused. 

That night, during our family Bible time, I asked my dad about what Maddie said. I told him how she said her family goes to the lake on Sundays and that when I asked her why they don’t go to church on Sundays, she said that my truth was different from her truth. 

My dad said that Maddie had probably been brought up around something called relativism. He asked if I knew what that was…. 

I think you are going to want this book. It makes Family Bible Time easier without making it less efficient. It will build spiritual muscles and security. It will, prayerfully, help you  put your  little souls around the throne.

While you are waiting, don’t forget the Hope series. It’s helping hundreds already. Our goal is daily spiritual injections that give kids better Satan immunity.  We can do this!

All are found here:

https://www.thecolleyhouse.org/store



Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Digging Deep Sneak Peek 2025…Getting Excited!

Posted on April 23, 2024

The Colley House is getting excited about the new study to be announced in late August. Target start date for this study is September 1st. Mark it on your calendar. Invite a friend to study along. Make it a group or a class. Remember there will be a printed study guide or defer to the free downloadable one. But make plans now. So often, a sister contacts me in November and says, “I wish I’d known about this last summer.” It’s okay to jump in anywhere at any time. But it’s more fun to jump in on September 1st with your new book, pen and highlighters in hand and get ready for the first dig-a-bits and podcast. It’s fun to do it in sync. Here’s the blurb from DD 2024-25:

In the conversation at the wedding feast, once again, Mary was in the moment. It was, to her, important to do something about the embarrassing shortage of wine. Somehow Mary had something to do with the host and the party and she was concerned about a hostesses nightmare. Jesus, in His “Woman, what do I have to do with you?” answer was, again, pointing to a bigger mission for which the time was approaching, but had not yet come. The miracle, itself, was a kind gesture, and it began a process that would take Him to the cross, but Jesus seemed to be gently saying, “Mother, there are bigger fish to fry. I have some problems to overcome, but wine at a wedding is not part of the big picture, here.” Yet he went on and made his mother happy, in her moment. 

I think it had to be this way. How could Mary have had any semblance of normalcy or happiness if her life had always been about the cross. How could the relationship between mother and son have been the full experience of humanity and trials as we know them, if Christ had not shielded his mother from some of the burden that no human could fully understand, anyway? And doesn’t that make the whole life of Jesus, from the standpoint of His humanity, so much—so much of a sacrifice— when relationships that were precious were also lost and in need of the darkest moment in human history that was his piercing?

And I do think it is a little like that in our “talks” with heaven. If I am praying for the bone not to break before I can get the baby to the ER, or if I am praying for the decision we are making about a home purchase, or if I am praying about the choice of curriculum for my child, must it seem to Jesus, my advocate in heaven, that I am in the moment? Must He smile and say, “Cindy Colley is doing the best she can, but she cannot think fully in “redemption mode“ yet? I will hear her pleas and heaven will answer her, because she is in me. I have paid her price. One day she will see me face to face and the trials and challenges of the road will seem nothing.” It seems that this must be something like reality when I think about my finite self in prayer.

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Perpetually Late this Weekend

Posted on April 22, 2024

It’s Sunday afternoon. What a blessed weekend!  Every single flight was delayed. As a result, I got a very late night ride for an hour with Lindsy Bailey, mother of six who has come through the fire and knows who holds her future. I got to sit up in the clouds in a holding pattern and remember how my nine-year-old grandson had, earlier in the day, told me of which weather pattern each type of cloud was predictive. I praised God for the beauty of the sky when the sun is setting and I am above the beautiful clouds. That doesn’t happen every day. 

But I was late. As a result, I was extra thankful when a connecting flight was also delayed. And, as a result, I had someone fun pick me up at the airport in her pajamas. She reminded me of earlier times in our lives when the Word of God had guided us through a dark time in life. I love her.

The only thing  for which I was a little early the whole weekend was the ladies day, itself.  And I was so glad there was a minute for Brooke and Lori and Bekah and Scarlet and Becky and Remi and Coy and Leah and Willow and Katja and sweet special ed teachers and so many more. How can one tardy woman be so blessed?

Another flight was delayed and it gave me this wonderful chance to sit down in a rocker in the home of a dear old friend and reminisce and talk and talk until I felt like I’d been to a therapy session. We all need one now and then.

She dropped me at the airport to come back home, and faster than I could adjust, in my mind and itinerary, to another delayed flight, I was watching that flight schedule board change and change again, until there was no hope of making my connection to the home airport. Realizing I was going to be spending the night in either Springfield or Charlotte on Saturday night, I was rescued by Jim and Debbie Meinsen, who in spite of the fact that they were returning from an out-of-town trip, and Jim was teaching a Bible class today and Deb was leaving just after worship today to travel to be with her daughter and grandchildren (who are also my grandchildren) while their dad, Caleb, was away preaching in a gospel meeting…in spite of all that, they said “Yes. Come on! Sleep at our house. Go to worship with us tomorrow. It’s potluck…then a two o’clock service. We’ll be there in 30 minutes to pick you up. Then we will bring you back to the airport after church tomorrow and you can try again. 

SO I had a great room and bed and pancakes and sausage and eggs for breakfast. I heard three great lessons today and had a meal of barbecue and chicken and ham and potato casserole and broccoli salad…and I’m embarrassed to keep going! Then I had two hours there at the building to just visit with the Highlandville family. And I haven’t laughed so hard in a while. The family there includes a bull-riding judge who knows a lot about the Pentecostal religious conferences in the area that include sword swallowing, high swan-diving into ten inches of water, monster trucks and army tanks rolling over cars…and it was so funny, except it’s really not funny when people get that spiritually confused.  It was interesting. All that conversation was prior to getting to talk to a young girl who completed an earlier Digging Deep study as a brand new convert. Her encouragement will be in my heart for a long time. She’s faithful and determined and trying to reach others in her family.

 I would not have been able to meet her if it were not for the fact that my life was running late! While lamenting that I was not home with my family on Sunday, I realized that I was right there in a building into which I’d never been before with HIS family—MY family in Him. And it was an unexpected blessing. 

I’m hoping these next two flights will get me home. If they are on time, I will walk in my kitchen door around midnight. I’ve already gotten a call from home saying there’s a three-year-old who is begging to spend the night with me when I get there. But, there may not be any night left to spend. Praying I get off the ground this time. But if not, who knows what blessings are ahead?

Maybe the best thing, though, is what I hear I may be missing at home. One of my sisters, who needs to come home to the Lord, is planning to do that today. I’m praying so hard that today is her day. Who cares if I am there?  If she will just be right with the Lord, we will have forever together!  Forever! He is so good.

He is SO good! 

12:20 am update:

  1. I am home!
  2. The three-year-old is fast asleep in the little bed in our window dormer.
  3. Best of all, the sister who was astray is home, too, with the Lord.

It is late. But God does great things in His own good time!

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley Dig-a-Bit Podcast

Did David Truly Mourn the Life of Saul? (CrownM08E01)

Posted on April 18, 2024


Podcast (digabit): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:44 — 6.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | RSS

Dig-A-Bit is a weekly mini Bible study with Cindy Colley. It supplements the Digging Deep Bible study for women. In this episode, Cindy discusses David’s attitude towards Saul.

For more information about the Digging Deep Bible Study for Women, visit TheColleyHouse.org.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

    • 1 Samuel

LINKS:

RESOURCES:

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Mama’s K.I.S.S. #68: Elderly Overnight

Posted on April 18, 2024

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 67  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”.

Not everyone will be able to do this. You may not know this person or you may have too many younger kids to make it work. But I could not skip this one. It made a profound impact on our family. 

We knew another family who was caring for an aged father in their home. He was no longer able to live on his own because of dementia and other health issues. He had preached the gospel all of his life and he loved to be around people. He loved to sing and he loved to do magic tricks for kids and teens. 

So, on a couple of occasions, when his family, who cared for him, had an out-of-town emergency or just needed a break, he came over to our house for a day or two. I cannot even tell you how impactful this was on young teens. 

They learned patience. They listened to the same jokes and stories over and over. and they learned to laugh again and again. They taught their friends this. 

They learned illustrations that were powerful for the plan of salvation and teaching the lost. They had to learn them because they were presented so many times. 

They learned to spread the joy. They had friends over who sang and sang through the night, because that’s what this wonderful man loved the most. The music in my living room was some of the most beautiful I will hear in this lifetime, and young people were learning to be comfortable around elderly people who were on a different spectrum of thought. 

They learned to respect the hoary head. They watched us and heard us speaking about the many lives who had come to know Christ as a result of this man’s work. They saw, in a practical way, the honor that should be given to those who have sacrificed for the Cause, and, really, to all the elderly among us. They understood the value in keeping the elderly from institutions and caring for them in our homes when it is possible. 

The funniest part was when it got to be midnight, and then two a.m., and the kids were still singing and he was still having so much fun. I said “Okay, now. You have to take your night meds. It’s past time. ”

He replied “Oh no. I take those when I go to bed and I am not going to bed yet.”

The kids just learned a lot. Even if the “ask” is not there, I’d still make this happen if possible for kids growing up in a self-centered world. It’s a little investment for a big return. SO many lessons learned. 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

A Family

Posted on April 15, 2024

I had not been home in over a week. I’d traveled to Arkansas and then to Mississippi and a couple of different locations in that state. I had spoken four times and attended eleven services. I was so very thankful Saturday night to be getting in my own bed. I was going to look at the pictures of my grandchildren on the laptop on my own pile of clean pillows in my own room with my favorite person beside me.

I did look at my computer, but it was on my phone screen that I finally saw it when I searched for it using the  I-cloud find my app. I hate that feeling. But there it was in that little map, in Olive Branch Mississippi and it just makes me so mad that the Find My technology is so much smarter than I. I knew a seven hour trip was in my immediate  future. It was long. It was repetitive (especially Corinth.) For various reasons, I’ve been in Corinth. Mississippi five times in 9 days. It was one inconvenient trip, to say the least. I decided to leave straight from worship on Sunday morning. I knew I could be home by bedtime if I could stay awake to drive. I listened to singing and Bible lessons and only stopped for one fish sandwich and one  scoop of ice cream on the way there. I got to worship with my nephew, Job, on the way home. I kept my eyes open. But sometimes just barely.

But I will take away the lesson that my family (in Him) is the best family. This list!

Rebecca said “Oh, let me go get it for you. I do not mind at all. Landon and I will do something fun in Memphis. Isn’t that where Elvis’ house is?”

Sue said “My husband works at Fed-Ex. We can overnight that to you.”

Glenn said “If you can wait till Monday, I can go with you and we can walk through the antique store.” 

Tyler called and left a message “Oh no! I heard you left your laptop. We can come and meet you with it. Let us know where you are!”

Brittani said “Oh, I wish we had known. Robin and I love road trips. We coulda’ met you half way!” 

Cindy (someone I had never met before in the friendly Strickland church in Glen, MS, where I stopped in for evening services), said “Do you want to spend the night here? I know you are tired and I have this apartment. I would LOVE for you to stay!”

Not one of these people made offers that were not genuine. It’s a family. I take the family for granted sometimes. And then, sometimes, the fellowship is so real and its rewards are very palpable. On my way home, in the car, I was listening to a brother on a PTP thumb drive tell about how, during his son’s unexpected hospital stay and ultimate death, his grass was mysteriously mowed,  his bills were mysteriously paid,  and he was moved from an expensive cramped hotel room to an immaculate suite with every need being met. It even had a connected garage. God’s people are the Matthew 25 “inasmuch” people. For me, the prayers of sisters are the sweetest balm in all of my world. In view of my worthiness, I am the least of these.

I’m so thankful to be serving alongside the best servants on this planet! Your generosity and self-sacrifice are a huge comfort to this road-weary old woman!

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? — When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? — Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:33-40).