new – 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

New Beginnings

Published on September 6, 2025September 5, 2025 by amylinneaLeave a comment

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Psalm 40:3

God calls us into new beginnings, sometimes several times in our life.

It could be a HUGE new beginning.

Marriage, baby, divorce, death, moving, or a new job.

Or, it could be a small new beginning such as resolving to eat healthy, initiating a new devotional time, determining a new year’s resolution, or updating your children’s chore chart.

New beginnings can be scary, especially if they hit you by surprise.

An unexpected job loss.

A sudden death or divorce.

A child moving out.

It’s all scary and frightening.

But God is in the details.

What?

He cares about my daily struggles, my new beginnings, big or small?

Yes, He absolutely does.

Not only that, but He wants to hear your heart and help you.

He wants your trust – your unwavering trust in the Provider of Life.

Nothing surprises God. Nothing.

So let your new beginnings include God.

The big ones and the small ones.

Every single one.

Photos by Sushobhan Badhai, Clark Wilson, John McMahon, & feey on Unsplash

Holding Onto What?

Published on December 30, 2023December 29, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19