How many times did your parents tell you the above phrase? It may have been to clean your room, share with your siblings, or do your homework. Half of the battle is taking a first step.

Are you with me? Whatever the task may be, simple or as challenging as it may be, the battle is half over when we get started.

It may be as simple as making your bed, starting the laundry, cleaning up the breakfast dishes, or getting ready to head for Walmart.

My husband and I are fans of “The Andy Griffin Show”. The episode that is a perfect example of what I am sharing is when a business man had some car trouble and ended up in Mayberry on a Sunday afternoon. Everyone was sitting around and enjoying a lazy afternoon on the porch. Barney and Andy were sitting on the bench, the anxious, impatient business man was pacing the porch floor. Barney, half asleep, kept saying that he was going to go get some ice cream and go see Thelma Lou. He repeated it three or four times and then the business man, raised his voice and told Barney to get up and do it, go see Thelma Lou. Go!! Barney got up, turned and looked shocked at the man, and left. Talk is easy but getting up and moving is half the battle.

Not sure about you, but when COVID attacked us all, it brought all of us to a halt and it basically stopped us in our tracks. Now, that we have conquered much of this awful epidemic; it has left some people struggling to get up and get going again.

Years ago, in a Wednesday night service, after the choir sang and the soloist sang his chosen song, Dr. Shoemaker got up to preach. As he was walking up the steps of the platform, he held his Bible up and said, “We know what this says, so let’s do it”. He was saying that we, as Christians know what the Bible tells us to do, so let’s just do it. We have heard the guidelines and the godly commands over and over again, but we, like the children of Israel, have to be told over and over again.

I know I have struggled getting back to doing my outreach ministry, It’s 4 uMom, after churches were canceling services in 2020-2021 from COVID, and after three back surgeries all within a year and a half. I needed a huge energetic, motivational capsule to boost me forward. This week I have been determined to write a blog and get the fire burning in my soul to press on. The following are some ideas that I have had to implement and perhaps some of them will help you to get moving:

• Get a piece of paper and pen
• Write down the task you are responsible to fulfill.
• Ask God to help you by giving wisdom and discernment and energy to do it.
• Have a right attitude and do your best.
• Mark off the items at the end of the day, so you can see progress.
• If some items were left on the page at the end of the day, then mark them for the next day. Try, try again.
• Don’t quit. We were not born to sit. God wants to use us to honor and glorify Him by our attitude, actions and speech. Walk the talk and talk the walk. Someone needs your smile, your complement and your encouragement.
• Realize that God has planned your day. Follow it. We all have different paths, different people, different circumstances. Use them. Many people think they are home bound and can’t be used of God. Oh yes you can. You may see your Dr., the mail person, UPS driver, the pharmacist. If you don’t see them and don’t work out or drive to the store, then ask God to send someone to your door. We are all to serve. Don’t forget, prayer warriors are extremely needed.
• Thank God for helping you through your day.
• New day? Start a new and just do it.

What about you? What are you doing for the cause of Christ? We should be seeing people coming to Christ. Church altars have to be vacuumed from all the dust that has collected from lack of use. Not much of the waters in the Baptismal tank has been stirred recently. If your church is actively seeing souls saved, then your church is blessed and is an exception.

In today’s world, and, oh, what a mess it is in; now is the time for Christ’s followers to shine. We have the answer to the concerns and the questions as to what is going on around our country and the world. It is not the time for us to complain and sit among the scoffers and wait for our country to collapse and twiddle our thumbs until Jesus returns.

You may tell me that you have your devotions daily and you are a very active member of the church, you attend choir practice, work in the nursery, and attend prayer meeting. That is good, and we should all be active members, but does the cashier at Target know you are a Christian?

Does your Dr. know you are a Christian, your nail tech, your hair dresser, waitress in the local restaurant? We need to open our eyes and see these people from God’s view. Build relationships with those you come in contact with and show them you care. It isn’t about us, it is all about them.

I wrote my book, “Moments to Memories”. I wrote it because I know that women and men need to be encouraged, motivated and uplifted. The last short story of the 63 stories is, ‘Jesus loves You’. In this last section, I have written the Roman road, so anyone can read and accept Christ as their Savior. I purposely wrote this book for Christians who have a hard time witnessing to loved ones or acquaintances. This book will speak on your behalf.

As I had mentioned before about my back surgeries, when the surgeon did a zoom call with me about my second surgery, he asked me if I had any questions. I told him I didn’t have questions about me, but asked him if he had read anything in the Bible I had given him before my first surgery, he said he had not read any of it. I told him that the Bible would tell him how to go to heaven. He said he definitely needed to know how to go there. I told him, that when I have a follow up appointment, I would share the verses with him. Well, then COVID was in full swing and after my second surgery, the Dr. had his assistant help with follow ups, so I did not get opportunity to witness. So, then came my third surgery and before being strolled into the operating room, I asked Dr. C. if I could see him personally for follow up and he told me absolutely I could see him. It was February 9th, of this year, when I had my follow up appointment. Jim had to drive me because I was not allowed to drive yet. I was waiting in the room for the Dr. to come in and talk with me. He went over the surgery details and then asked me if I had any questions. I asked him if he still wanted to know how to get to heaven and he said, ‘yes’. So, I had my book with me: “Moments to Memories” and turned to the last devotional. I asked Dr. C. if he would read the verses in Romans to me. After he read a verse, then I would talk and explain each verse. We came to Romans 10: 9, 10

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Dr. C. bowed his head and prayed and told Christ that he believed Christ came to earth and died and rose again and asked Christ to come into his life and be his Lord. After prayer, I asked him if he were to die today where would he spend eternity? He told me, as he pointed to the verses, according to those verses he would go to heaven. He then put his hands over my folded hands and looked me straight into my eyes and he told me, that he could not thank me enough for showing him how to receive Christ as his Savior.

Someone needs to hear from us. Whatever your circumstances, God wants to use you for His glory.

I believe if we could see this world the way God sees it, I just know we would serve Him more faithfully. Let’s Just Do It!