Liz Bell

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 ESV I often think about how people speak to each other.  I like to observe and listen. I've witnessed confident people crumble because someone crushed and broken them with words that fly out of the mouth and off of something as small as the tongue.  I think words are invisible but can cut like a dagger, break the heart, and shatter the spirit, sending someone living life in light and joy into darkness and depressio[...]

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 ESV. During these wonderful months of HEARTstrong, I have been feeling many things.  Some I don’t yet understand. But I have been feeling the Lord drawing me closer, filling me with a desire to lean more into Him and His Word.  That word “PREPARE” that dropped in my heart before I knew about HEARTstrong, still keeps coming up. And I’ve been eager to "lean in" more, pray more, learn more of His Word and let it sink[...]

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many” 1 Corinthians 12:14 ESV. In a recent casual conversation with the Lord, I said, “I don’t feel I do enough to help grow Your Kingdom. I feel so INSIGNIFICANT, like a pinky finger. I wasn’t angry or upset at that moment, but how the Lord set me on a path of correction. I wanted to take back what I said; I wanted to take back that word “INSIGNIFICANT.” But what I said, God heard. Immediately He spoke into my spirit and said, “Is that what[...]

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV Were you the child that wouldn’t raise your hand in class, even if you knew the answer? Or hide behind the classmate in front of you, hoping the teacher wouldn’t see you? Or hide behind a parent when someone would simply say “hi” to you? Were you that shy child? I certainly wa[...]

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered to them from destruction" Psalm 107:19-20 ESV.   As we began reading the Book of Mark for HEARTstrong, I first read a little about this book. I think it's because I really don't know much about Mark. Matthew, I know as the tax collector, Luke was the great doctor and John a faithful disciple who followed Jesus closely and wrote so much, right up to his isolation on Pa[...]

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 ESV I remember the first time I laid eyes on this scripture.  It was a moment I felt the Lord speak into my spirit, 'Now you know who you are.' I stared at it for a while, allowing my heart to settle down.  After reading and meditating on each sentence, I prayed and thanked the Lord for revea[...]

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" Mark 1:3 (ESV) I read (I think in one of my study Bibles) that in the Book of Mark, he uses the word "IMMEDIATELY" or "AT ONCE" 41 times in this book, showing a sense of SPEED and URGENCY often introducing a new incident, or turn of event. The first is in Mark 1:10: "And when He came up out of the water, IMMEDIATELY he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove." Something st[...]

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (ESV) As I was preparing this, I remembered when I was little in Sunday School singing, “Jesus Loves Me” …this I know, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO. But little did I understand how true this is. My first experience in this reality was about six years ago. God had stirred me, but I was confused and felt alone and somewhat afraid of what or where I should go or who I should talk to about this newfound faith. I was listening t[...]

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” Romans 13:1 ESV  During this time of Covid and lockdowns, we have listened to health care authorities, and those in political power tell us what we can and cannot do; who we can and cannot see; where we can and cannot travel to; and how many people we can mingle with under one roof. I have listened to different opinions and thoughts and have seen many pe[...]