decision – Amy Linnea

A Carpenter

Published on April 25, 2026April 25, 2026 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Mark 6:3

Ever pictured Jesus working as a carpenter, during the years before His ministry?

Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, worked with wood, teaching his son the trade.

I can imagine Jesus making a table or a chair. Maybe working on a house.

While I’m not sure what all carpenters created in Bible times, I do know this: it would be incredible to find something He made! Am I right?

Imagine going to an estate sale in Nazareth, finding a bowl with his initials. Or maybe a chair.

Maybe carpenters didn’t sign their work back then.

Guessing the wood hasn’t lasted all these years, waiting to be unearthed.

But it sure would be neat, wouldn’t it?

Then I thought about something else: do you think Jesus enjoyed working with wood?

Probably. We know He was worked in this trade until God called Him into ministry.

Do you think it was hard for Him to leave the trade?

I bet He couldn’t wait to spread His Father’s plan to our needy world.

But that doesn’t mean Jesus loved leaving his trade. The life He had always known as one of us.

But God called Him to His higher purpose. The very reason for coming down to earth.

Think maybe Jesus missed working with wood from time to time?

But that’s life, isn’t it? And that’s exactly what Jesus came to do: to live like us before taking away the sins of the world.

When God calls you forth into something new, it’s not necessarily because you’re leaving something bad.

Jesus didn’t. Working as a carpenter wasn’t bad. It was a good honest way to make a living.

But God’s higher calling came and Jesus followed.

Does God have something new for you? You might leave a good thing for something better.

Doesn’t mean you won’t question your decision after seeking God’s will.

Doesn’t mean you’ll always be happy, thinking about leaving.

But it does mean this: God has taken care of you and He will continue to do so. Wherever He calls you to go.

So walk confidently within God’s plan as you continue seeking His face above yours.

Like Jesus, God may ask you to leave something you love to fulfill His greater purpose written just for you.

Photos by Ricky Kharawala, Alexander Andrews, Tanya Barrow, & Kiwihug on Unsplash

Assignment

Published on April 26, 2025April 26, 2025 by amylinneaLeave a comment

And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us. 1 John 4:13

God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, the Helper Jesus mentioned.

What is God asking you to do today?

What is God asking you to say today?

Who is God asking you to trust today?

When God nudges you, listen.

When God asks you to do something for Him, obey.

That still, small voice deep inside your head is God.

That decision you know you need to make.

That phone call you should dial.

That friendly hug you should share.

What is your assignment today from God?

If you pause, you just might miss it.

You might miss that blessing God has for you and the other person.

That surprise behind the door of obedience.

Don’t hesitate to obey the whispers of God.

He’s asking you today if you will.

Photos by Skyler Ewing on Unspla

Squashed Bug

Published on March 1, 2025February 28, 2025 by amylinnea2 Comments

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

When someone talks down to you, how does that make you feel?

How about if you become the fall out and it wasn’t even your fault?

When you’re surprised at someone’s reaction as they share none of the blame?

When you don’t feel heard, and you realize your voice is barely above a whisper?

How does it make you feel when the conversation leaves you smaller than you were. Tiny, in fact. So tiny, you feel like a bug that was just squashed completely flat?

I know how you feel. Because I felt that recently.

Had a hard conversation, and let’s just say they were only interested in one thing.

Their opinion.

Their right to state their opinion.

Their right to state their opinion in a way that left me squashed.

Interestingly enough, I’ve been taking an education leadership class.

Well, three actually, but who’s counting!

Anyhow, because I am taking these classes at a Christian university, there is always a filter of God through each concept.

How would this response or that decision reflect God and how He operates?

Brings me to that hard conversation.

The conversation directed towards me was missing understanding, grace, and a humble spirit.

Left me thinking thoughts I will not admit, but God has allowed me to see the point beyond the conversation.

God allows yuck to happen, and when it comes, we should ask ourselves what must He be teaching us?

I’ll tell you what I learned.

How not to treat other people.

How not to respond to filth.

How not to bring another person down as I lift up my own self.

Because I know how that felt – terrible.

And I never want to make someone else feel that way. Ever.

When having tough conversations, make sure you are tuned into God’s mind. God’s ways. God’s voice.

Yes, sometimes we might have to deliver unwanted messages, but we can season our talk with understanding, empathy, and love.

And when the other person feels heard, our message will be received, leaving the other with their dignity intact.

Ask God to keep filling you up with Himself.

His words of life.

As we are responsible for the words of our mouths, “may the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our STRENGTH and our REDEEMER” (from Psalm 19:14).

And then when we talk with the world, our words will leave a lovely taste of God as we represent Him with all we do and say.