Summer Shore is co-founder of Revive Ministries, a writer, speaker, and co-host of the Experience Revival podcast. She has been an on-air personality in Christian radio for the past 6 years and has been speaking and teaching for 18 years, using humor and real-life experiences to connect with women, speak to their hearts, and draw them closer to God. She also enjoys singing and leading worship whenever she can. Summer and her husband, Jake, have 3 boys that keep her on her toes! Summer loves spending time traveling and going on adventures with her family, especially if it involves going to her favorite Cuban restaurant. When she’s not on the air or working with Revive, you’ll find her curled up in a fuzzy blanket with a mug of chai tea and a Hallmark movie. You can connect with her on Instagram @summer_shore.
We all have that friend who just always seems happy and content with the world. She seems unruffled by adversity and undaunted by the challenges of life. You simultaneously want to hug her and smack her because she’s so stinking loveable.
I have a friend just like this. Despite battling and overcoming breast cancer and juggling everything else in life like kids and work and marriage, she always has a smile on her face and peace in her heart. She radiates the joy of the Lord.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines joy as being “closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the Spirit. Part of the experience of being a Christian.”
This definition of joy is so full of hope and promise. While joy is related to happiness, it is also very different. We have a choice to experience joy regardless of our circumstances, because our joy has its foundation firmly in Christ. As Christians we know that we are beloved by our Heavenly Father who works all things out for good, for those who love Him.(Romans 8:28) We are confident that we are more than conquerors of the obstacles inner lives, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:37-39) Our situation and circumstances will change, but God’s love for us does not, and that gives us great joy.
It is important to know that having joy is not simply pretending to be happy when you are not, or “faking it till you make it”. We don’t have to manufacture joy on our own. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Time spent with God through reading the Bible, prayer, worship and fellowship changes our thinking and aligns our priorities with God’s.
Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the evidence, or fruit, of the Holy Spirit at work in us. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.” None of these things are qualities we can conjure out of thin air. Rather they are a gift and a byproduct of living a Spirit-filled life.
So what does that look like on the ground, in action? There are moments throughout our day when we can lean into God and experience true and lasting joy. It may be writing notes of gratitude, or listing our blessings. We can focus on truth instead of the lies the world tries to sell us. We can choose to turn our gaze outward and help someone else in need. We can be living proof of a loving God, in a world desperate to see Him up close.
Each day we have an opportunity to choose joy. What will you choose today?
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
With flowers popping up, and Easter just around the corner, the optimism of a new season is all around. Especially coming out of dark winter, the light and new life of spring offers a welcome reprieve, full of promise and hope.
I have been inspired by all this newness to do some spring cleaning. I opened up the windows to let in the spring breeze and air out the stale corners of the house that haven’t seen the bright light of day in a while.
Personally, there are parts of my heart that need the same treatment, corners in my heart that haven’t seen the bright light of day in a while. Parts of me that are still holding on the old ways instead of walking in the light of Christ as a new creation.
That’s the beauty of this Scripture. As Christ-followers, we can throw open the shutters of our hearts and let the light of Jesus in to sweep through and renew us. We can breathe deep of new mercies. We are released from the slavery of sin, and are made new by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. In Christ we are raised to new life, to walk in new ways, with new hope.
Every Easter, we remember that the story of Jesus did not end at the cross. The cross was the plot twist-Jesus overcame death and the grave, and rose to life again. We have that same power living in us through the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus we have the power to leave the grave behind us and walk forward as a new creation.
I love this song by Audrey Assad called New Every Morning. It reminds me of God’s love and the lengths he went to have relationship with us. I hope you enjoy it too.
Some incredible things are happening with Revive right now! We just launched our newest Bible study, Royal: Finding Your Identity in Christ with almost 200 people from 4 different countries! At the end of January, we partnered with 104.1 The Fish and spoke at Thrive! A Girls’ Night Out. Over 260 women shared a meal together, laughed and grew in faith together. Countless women came up afterward, telling us their stories and how in just one evening, their lives had been impacted. A unique opportunity for a radio show where we could talk about faith and life with up to 60,000 more people on a weekly basis is a possibly on the horizon.
The response from women we encounter, both in person and online, has been overwhelming. We have seen God’s hand in every detail, including some exciting developments that God set into motion years ago. It feels like the floodgates are opening up before our very eyes. We are seeing a revival of the heart and soul in our homes, communities and churches.
Recently we heard a quote that said, “The world is waiting for us to know who we are.”Can you imagine if women, churches and families were confident in who they are in Christ, allowing them to show the love of Christ and live missionally and intentionally? We are beginning to see it unfold and it is absolutely awe inspiring. It is truly a privilege and a gift to be able to join God where He is working.
We are in the middle of fundraising for overall operations, for a potential radio ministry, online discipleship training for churches and small groups, as well as our very first women’s event. Our goal is to raise $50,000 by March 15th. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations to Revive Ministries will be matched over the next week, up to $15,000! This means that your gift will have twice the impact and will go toward helping women everywhere find their passion, purpose and power in Christ!
Please prayerfully consider helping us meet our goal. Make your donation here.
We also offer our sincere thanks to the generous donors who are already making so much possible. We love and appreciate you!
Take a moment and think back on some of your favorite memories with your friends. Was it the time you snuck out of the house to go TP another friends house? (True story). Maybe it’s having coffee at that really great café on that really great trip where you laughed for days. What about that time that you called your friend in the middle of the night to pray for you, because she was the only person who could comprehend the grief that woke you in the first place. All of these experiences took place in community-whether large or small. They are shared experiences that bond us humans together and it is these very relationships that we are created to have.
A recent study in the US states there has been a three-fold increase in the last twenty years in the number of Americans who say they have no one to confide in. The study also suggests that low social interaction harms longevity as much as alcoholism and smoking, has more negative impact than lack of exercise, and is twice as harmful as obesity.
Beyond social interaction though, people are longing for meaning, for purpose, and frankly, for Jesus. They want to feel known and loved by God, and called for a purpose. They want to have people to “do life with.” At Revive Ministries, we have been there, wondering how we fit into God’s story, unsure of of His love and desperately hoping for more in life. It was when we found our identity in Christ, we found passion, purpose and power to make a difference in our relationships, in our families, in the community and world around us. Our mission is to help women do exactly that.
Over the next 2 weeks, we will be sharing more of our story, what it is we do at Revive Ministries and some testimonies from women the ministry has impacted. We will also be telling you about a BIG opportunity that is coming our way very, very soon. Our hope is that you will join us over the next week or so and learn more about what God is doing through Revive Ministries.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Happy New Year! This is the season that we instinctively look back at the year that has passed, take stock of the good and the bad, and plan for a new, hopefully even better year. For some, putting 2017 in their rearview mirror couldn’t come soon enough. For others still, 2017 may have been a banner year and they are entering 2018 bright-eyed and full of optimism. Most of us probably experienced a mix of blessings and trials, ups and downs. Regardless of how you are kicking off your new year, we have an amazing gift in Christ to start new, to be refreshed, to experience revival.
This year I have spent more time in God’s Word, resting in His promises and trusting in His timing. It has not been an easy task, but it is shaping me. It has taught me to see differently. Through Christ, I can say goodbye to the old, and hello to the new. This more than setting resolutions, this is inviting Jesus to continue to renew my mind, to revive the dead and broken in me, and help the areas where I am made new to flourish and grow. It is not something I can do for myself, it is something Christ does in me. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that I begin to see myself as Jesus sees me. It is in Him that any new healthy habits can take root past the next two weeks. It is by His strength that I am the best version of myself, and am able to show God’s love to family, friends and strangers. In Him, I am a new creation.
What do you want God to make new in you this year? What has He already been cultivating in you that you want to continue to see flourish? You don’t have to navigate it alone! Comment below and let us pray for you! And may God bless you beyond all you can ask or imagine this year!
If you just sang this title to the tune of Joy to the World in your head, you just got a behind-the-scenes peek at my crazy this week. Throughout most of the holiday season I’m a lot like Buddy the Elf: “Smiling’s my favorite”, and spreading Christmas cheer by “singing loud for all to hear” (which I’m here to tell you will get you weird looks EVERY time).
I can usually rally under the busiest of schedules leading up to Christmas, knowing that I will have “time off” when Christmas comes. I can rally…until I can’t. It turns out our mortal bodies can only endure so much sleep deprivation and caffeine loading. Eventually it will rebel against you with illness, or just good old fashioned anxiety.
So yesterday, as I drank my Echinacea tea, I folded my laundry and watched the Muppet Christmas Carol. And you know what? It was enough. The laundry was done. Some days we take victory where we can find it.
Christmas is almost here, whether we are ready or not. Even though we feel the pressure to give into the busy and expectations of the season, take some time to slow down enough to enjoy the moments leading up to it. Our Christmas celebrations don’t have to be Pinterest-perfect to be absolutely beautiful and full of wonder.
Grab a coffee (or better yet, hydrate!) and stop for a moment. Even 3 minutes can be a game-changer when you are collecting your strength and getting ready to navigate Target. Breathe in and out, and remember that your hope, strength and worth rest firmly in Christ alone. After all, He is what this is all about in the first place. When we take a minute to refocus on what is important, it frees us up to appreciate how God is at work in us, and in those around us. It makes room in our hearts and minds, to see as God sees, and to love as He loves. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy through the business of busyness.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him ” 1 Corinthians 2:9
Growing up, my mom would wrap Christmas presents early for my brother and I, and keep them in her closet until Christmas Eve. Then she and my dad (aka Santa) would put them under the tree. Occasionally, she would give us hints as to what lie beneath the colorful paper and curly-Q ribbons, and we’d marvel at it and try to guess what it could be. All we knew is that it would be absolutely wonderful. It was thrilling.
1 Corinthians 2:9 reminds me a bit of Christmas time and peeking at presents: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
God loves us infinity more than we can comprehend. He has wonderful things in store for us that we cannot even imagine; the likes of which we have never seen or heard. But unlike peeking at Christmas presents, we are given countless glimpses of the Kingdom of God.
We catch a glimpse of it in worship when we pour out our hearts to Him in praise. We experience it when we come together in faith, and pray. When we serve and put other’s needs before our own, we get a sneak peek at the Kingdom of God. When we laugh together, rejoicing with one another, we feel it, because we are living out the Kingdom of God. When we comfort one another in times of need, the Kingdom of God is near. Every good thing that has come from above, every blessing we experience, is just a hint at what’s coming.
Jesus came to bring light and love to the earth, and left his Holy Spirit here with us, to help us do the same. These glimpses remind us of that. The life Jesus led, in turn showed us how to live, how to love, and how to be a sign and foretaste of the Kingdom of God until He returns and sets the world right again.
Every time we interact with the world around us, we can look for ways we can point people toward Jesus. Our lives are a sign and a foretaste of the Kingdom of God. We can show them a glimpse of the unimaginable goodness to come.
“…Every scrape upon my heart, tells the story of your grace.”– Ryan Kennedy from Letting Go
I first heard this lyric at the Gospel Music Associations’ Immerse Conference last year. Ryan was performing it live and it moved me then as it does even now.
When I was eight, I slipped and fell on the sidewalk while running through the sprinklers. I scraped up my knee and it was the first time I would need stitches in my life. It took only two stitches, and a place for my poor mother to lie down before she fainted, to repair the wound. It left a pretty good scar, one I still have and when I see it, I remember the story vividly. The same way the scar on my knee tells a story, the scrapes on my heart tell one too.
They tell of unrequited love, misguided efforts, disappointed hopes, loss and grief. My little heart has been put back together again and again, by the One who created it. I couldn’t ask for a better physician and friend. And while the scrapes on my heart hurt for a little while (some longer than others), they tell a story of God’s grace. Of His tender hand guiding me, healing me and setting me on my feet again. They tell a story of victory.
I hope you enjoy my friend Ryan’s song. Catch him on iTunes and YouTube for the latest tracks.
The first year my husband and I were married brought all sorts of growing experiences. We laughed harder than ever, and argued more than I imagined (I actually threw a package of Tums antacids at him!) We also grew closer together through one of the most painful and difficult experiences we’ve endured to date, the loss of our first child during pregnancy. I firmly believe God redeems pain for purpose by allowing us to walk alongside others in their heartache and grief. In this way God reminds us all that we are not alone, and we are able to point one another back to Him, the source of hope, healing, peace and joy. If you or someone you know is going through a tough time, I pray my story could be an encouragement and beacon of hope.
I am sharing with you because I have walked where you now stand, feeling alone, like you are drowning in a sea of overwhelming grief. I have been acquainted with the kind of hurt that keeps you awake at night and makes your heart pound in your chest. I learned the dull ache of my loss being the last thing I thought about at night, and the first thing I thought about in the morning. I experienced the frustration of having my emotions rule me and feeling powerless to bend them to my will. I remember watching myself from the outside thinking “Summer, you have to pull yourself together!” Then, lamenting in the same breath, “But, I can’t!”
I remember friends saying that things would be ok and God was with me in my grief. While I could acknowledge that truth in my mind, my heart still couldn’t feel it. I found it difficult to even pray since tragedy had struck our family. To be honest, I didn’t really know what to say to God.
One evening I had curled up on my bed after a long cry; out of obedience, I picked up my Bible. My eyes roved over the delicate pages in earnest hope that God would show himself. And there, wrapped in my bathrobe and surrounded by kleenex, my tired eyes fixed upon these words:
“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:8-10 (NIV)
I was especially moved by how the Message summed it up. Something about the phrasing grabbed my attention and soothed my tender heart:
“You’re Jacob, my first choice, descendants of my good friend Abraham. I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Isaiah 41:8-10 (MSG)
These are some of my most treasured words from God. They broke through my darkness when I doubted His goodness and had questioned His sovereignty and His power in our world.
“I pulled you in…called you in from every dark corner of the earth…” Boy was my corner dark. Initially, I couldn’t see anything beyond my own grief and pain. I wasn’t being intentionally selfish, everything else just seemed so small compared to the magnitude of my grief. God reached down and scooped me up like a loving dad carrying his daughter to tuck her safely into bed. He reminded me who I am. “You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you.” Even when my heart pushed Him away, I was not his enemy.
“I haven’t dropped you. Don’t panic. I’m with you.” I needed this reassurance most. I couldn’t see how God was working in my situation. My world felt like it had been turned upside down and I was hanging precariously on the edge of it. My ears strained to hear His voice. I longed for Him to anchor me in my chaos.
“There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” The Lord bade me to stop running, be still and let the wave of grief wash over me. He would not leave me to tumble about in the wake. He would keep a firm grip on me. As I continued to read these promises, they began to stir in my heart with little flutters of hope. As each wave of grief washed over me, I emerged, sputtering, but standing, His hand tightly on mine. With each passing day, I saw God’s hand holding on to me. I began to accept the loss I had suffered and started to feel peace. God cared for me through family and friends that brought me meals, listened to me and encouraged me. I could whisper faintly in faith that God was still God, and He was still good. That whisper grew as my heart healed and I can now boldly proclaim in full assurance that God is present in your circumstances and will see you through.
My prayer is that if you are in the middle of a storm right now, that you will not despair, but hold on to a glimpse of hope. You are not alone. This season does not stretch on indefinitely. Do not give up. Even in your dark corner, God is there. You are His and He loves you more than you can see. And when you get to the other side of this, you will know victory. You will know strength. You will know peace. You will see God redeem your pain for purpose as you walk alongside someone else in their storm. And you look back and see God’s hand at work, more than you ever thought you could.
“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.”
Jonah 1:1-3
There are times in ministry that I relate with Jonah. He definitely does not start out as the hero in this story, running toward the front lines, ready to do the Lord’s will without flinching. I would love to say that I am always strong and ready to dive right in, no matter what. But that is not me. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. When I think that what the Lord is calling me to might be painful. And I think that God is ok with that.
Consider Jonah for a moment. Jonah got a clear message from God. I don’t know how he received that message, but the Lord gave it and Jonah got it. He had a clear understanding of what God was asking him to do. Often, I pray for that kind of clarity and direction. I’d pray, “Lord if you could just make it CLEAR to me what I should do, I would do it.” But when it is clear, when God does grant a peek at where He is leading, I freeze in a moment of fight or flight. “But Lord, that looks so difficult, so painful, so heartbreaking”. I perseverate on the difficulties of the task ahead, forgetting that the reward of touching hearts and lives will be more payoff than anything actually required of me. I’m not just talking about the heavenly reward of being a servant-I’m talking about the absolute rush of joy at seeing lives transformed for God. The earthly thrill of recognizing where God is at work and joining Him. But it’s not incentive that I think of, it’s the difficulty. Jonah experienced that too. So much so, that he didn’t just abandon the call, but he literally RAN away from the Lord. He got on a boat and set out to sea, hoping to escape.
And don’t we just do that? We think we can hide from God, run away or stand our ground in defiance. But there is no where we can hide that our loving God cannot see us. No place we can run to escape His gentle guidance. As my friend Gregg puts it, our arms are simply too short to box with God.
While Jonah is on the boat, sailing away from God, a horrible storm begins. It doesn’t take long for Jonah to realize that the storm is a direct result of His disobedience. He convinces the men aboard to throw him off the boat and into the sea.
Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.
This part of the story will never cease to simultaneously amaze and amuse me. The Lord arranged to a fish to swallow Jonah. It was an unusual act of mercy. I dare you to say God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Jonah spends a long weekend in that fish, and then the Lord commands the fish to spit Jonah out on the beach. Jonah’s prayer while he is simmering in that fish-belly, is a profound commentary on life when we are running away from God. It is hints powerfully at the waters of baptism as our old self “dies”, we are “buried” and then “rise” again to new life. As one with some experience running from God, the verse that stands out most to me is “as my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord”
I have run from God before. It’s dark, lonely and confusing. It’s hard to tell which was is up, like being tumbled in a mighty wave. Then I remember the Lord. God is faithful. His is for us. He never drops us and will redeem our lives, our experiences and our pain for purpose: to help others and enrich our own lives.
Eventually, Jonah comes around and follows the Lord’s commission to go to Ninevah. There he shares his experience and the good news about God’s boundless love. Many people hear Jonah’s words and turn toward God in the end. When you find yourself running, avoiding God’s call, wavering to make the decision you know to be right, remember the Lord and run toward God.
