Digging Deeper: Show Up and Show Out

 

In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

Daniel 2: 17-18 (NIV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)



SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT

 

Who you are on Sunday should be evident when you’re at work on Monday.

I don’t take for granted the impact I get to have in my classroom, in the hallways, and in my school. I know that parents, staff, and students are always watching what I say, how I react, and how I handle the pressures of day-to-day life.

In the same way, God has placed you in the unique position you’re in for a purpose. Reflect Him in everything you do. Know that others are watching, and the more relatable and real you are, the more likely you are to make an impact on them.

I pray that as you close out your workweek, you remember that your actions influence others. Who you are at work and in your daily life speaks volumes about your faith. Show up and show out!

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Conversations with God

 

He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2: 18 (NIV)



CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD

In our chaotic lives, it’s easy to feel as though our prayers are just whispers fading in the wind. What I’ve found is that I have a constant stream of thoughts flowing to God’s ears.

Think of prayer as a conversation with your best friend. Just as you would share your joyful moments and deepest concerns with someone you love, our prayers should be open, raw, and honest with God. Pray bold prayers. Pray specific prayers. Pray prayers of thanks for all the grace you have been given.

I pray that as you go about this day, your prayers deepen your relationship with God and strengthen your faith.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Circle Up

 

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2: 17-18 (NIV)

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)



CIRCLE UP

 

I absolutely love sitting around a table, sharing food, laughing at stories, and screaming at college football games. I am hardwired to be in community with people. I think that’s why I love teaching. I love watching middle school students learn how to interact with each other. These days, it’s like they’ve created their own language, and I’m an outsider begging for a translation. There’s something different about those middle school years—when you’re desperate to fit in, desperate to find a group of people who accept you. I think it’s when we truly start to realize we need people.

You know, we weren’t meant to tackle life alone! Our hearts desperately long to be in community with others. Who is in your circle matters more than who wins on Saturday. The people you surround yourself with pour into you, even when you don’t realize it.

In a world that often promotes superficial connections, God wants us to have real relationships. A true friend encourages us to grow and challenges us to be our best selves. In turn, they reflect God’s love in our lives.

Who’s in your circle? What role do you play in the circle?

I pray that as you walk through this day, you surround yourself with people who build you up. Appreciate the friends in your circle, and be the one who is a source of encouragement and strength for others. Reflect God’s love in all that you do.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Tracing the Steps

 

I will remember the deeds of the Lord ; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

Psalm 77:11 (NIV)



TRACING THE STEPS

 

Have you ever walked through something that felt so insanely dark, desolate, and lonely? Did you cry out to God and feel like your prayers went unheard and unanswered?

There are moments in my life when memories come fleeting back to me—moments when I thought God was silent, but in reality, He was working things out for my good. Sometimes, in the moment, we don’t see what God is doing, but when we trace the steps that got us from there to here, we can see His handprint in it all. Each memory becomes a reminder of His faithfulness, His grace, and His love.

Oftentimes, looking back, I can see how God didn’t answer my specific prayers the way I thought He should because He had something immensely greater for me.

It’s easy to have faith and confidence in God when you can trace back over the moments in your life where He showed up and showed out for you.

I pray that as you tackle this day, you retrace the grace God has given you—that you find an exact moment when, without a shadow of a doubt, God boldly did something for you. I pray that moment is so vivid that you share that part of your story with someone else today.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: How’s Your Faith?

 

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Daniel 1:8 (NIV)

 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2 (NIV)



HOW’S YOUR FAITH?

 

I know how this messy world can seem to constantly tug at your hem, pulling you in different directions and unraveling you at the same time. Clinging to our faith is the only thing that gets us through. Faith is more than just believing in God; it’s about who God is and what He has done for you. Take time today to understand that our faith not only strengthens our relationship with God but also equips us to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and grace.

The deeper your relationship with Him, the less likely you are to conform to the ways of this world.

I pray that as you launch into your week, you are reminded of who God is and that your actions today reflect the love and truth that come from knowing Him.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Make Heaven Crowded

 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14 (ESV)



MAKE HEAVEN CROWDED

 

Abraham boldly asked God, pleaded with God for the community of Sodom. He didn’t just ask for God to spare his family; he asked Him to spare more. He knew their judgment was coming, and he was pleading for more time.

Who do you need to pray for? Has God laid someone on your heart? If we want to impact our community, we need to start at home, raising our children to know and show how to be an example. We need to be the light in the darkness. We need to show up differently when we are in grocery lines, sitting in traffic, sweating at the ballparks, and holding doors. We need to show who Jesus is by our actions and our words. Even in the mundane, we should consistently show kindness and offer grace. If we truly want to pass on our faith to the next generation and change our community, we need to show them what they are missing. We need to tell them how we would have never made it through without Jesus. Tell them how Jesus changed your story for the good. We need to pray for opportunities, pray for our neighbors, and then pray for God to use us in big, BIG ways.

I pray as you end your work week that you are able to walk confidently through this day, certain that God can and will use you to bring others to Him. Together, we can make heaven more crowded.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Passing Your Faith to the Next Generation

 

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord , and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalm 78:4 (ESV)



PASSING YOUR FAITH TO THE NEXT GENERATION

 

How can you make an impact in your community just by being you? How do you find moments to share your story with others?

The simple answer: slow down and pay attention. Listen when God nudges you to speak.

My mom was amazing at this. She told me this story several times, and it never got old. One day, when she was checking out at the grocery store, she felt God press on her heart that she needed to ask the boy bagging her groceries if he knew Jesus. She would say, “As crazy as it sounds, I did it.” She didn’t understand the urgency, but she was not going to be the one that didn’t listen when God spoke to her.

As she was checking out, she simply walked over to the boy and asked him if he knew Jesus. She started the conversation and eventually led him in a prayer. There are dozens of other stories similar to this one about my mom’s faith and persistence when she felt led to do something.

If we know our end goal is for everyone to know Jesus, we have to start in our community. We have to share our stories, our testimonies. We have to show others how different we are because of whose we are.

Today, I pray that you are vividly aware of your surroundings and that God would use a piece of your story to start a conversation. I pray that you would be bold to share what God has done through you.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Pleading Bold Prayers


Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

Genesis 18:32 (ESV)



PLEADING BOLD PRAYERS

 

Have you ever pleaded with God for something? Have you ever laid out insanely specific prayers, cries of your own heart, in desperation for an answer?

Several times in my life, I have found myself physically crying out to God. When I was 16, my dad was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. I only had six days with him from diagnosis to heaven. I begged God to heal him, to give him a miraculous comeback, one that I was certain would be an amazing testimony, only helping further His kingdom. When His answer was to heal him in heaven, my heart was broken. I remember those prayers like I just prayed them yesterday. They were specific, bold, and raw.

In Genesis chapter 18, Abraham could have easily and boldly asked God to spare just his nephew’s family. He could have dismissed the rest of the city and only pleaded on behalf of his family members, but he didn’t. Instead, he pleaded on behalf of the wicked as well.

How’s your heart? When you think about your community, are you more worried about what not to do or where not to go, rather than how you can make an impact and change the story? How do you feel about praying for strangers that you don’t even know?

If you were in Abraham’s shoes, would you selfishly only ask to save your family, or would you be bold and dare to pray for all of your community to be spared?

I pray as you tackle this day that you have a heart that is burdened for others. I pray for the community that you affect and the community that directly affects you, that you would have a fire to make a difference.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Having a Heart for Your Community

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15 (NIV)



HAVING A HEART FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

 

I was raised in church. I was there nearly every time the doors were open, every time there was an event, and every time there was a prayer gathering. I was even there on days we woke up late and only made it for the last 20 minutes of the sermon. I lived and breathed church. In my house, nothing was ever more important than being present on Sundays. My church foundation is a gift I don’t take for granted. It’s something that, as a child, I ignorantly thought everyone experienced.

After being in the classroom for more than a decade, I can tell you the sad truth is that many, many kids grow up not hearing the truth about Jesus. There are some who have never visited a church, spent time listening to worship music, or even know anything about the Bible other than what 7th-grade Social Studies standards have ensured them it is.

When I entered the classroom, this is what I envisioned: tiny God-sized moments where I can answer a question and maybe spark a brief conversation that may one day lead to something greater. I pray over those rosters, the seats my students sit in, and I pray over my own thoughts and words constantly. I know my influence in the classroom can directly impact my community, so I find myself constantly looking for those moments.

Have you ever thought about where you can make a difference? A place where you can step in and shine a light, start a spark? If we know our goal is to shamelessly share the gospel, how are you doing?

I pray, as you take on this day, that you listen when God wants you to speak and that you pray for the community you are directly impacting. I pray that you plant some seeds that later reap God-sized moments.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Raising Kids in a Sin-Soaked World

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)



RAISING KIDS IN A SIN-SOAKED WORLD

 

Being a mom is one of my most treasured titles. Having the responsibility to teach two little growing girls about Jesus is something that I do not take lightly. When they were young, it seemed easy. It was all picture books, Bible stories, and coloring sheets. Now, as they have entered their teens, helping them chase after Jesus looks drastically different. It has now become more intentional conversations about how the world says one thing, but we believe another. It’s telling them, “I don’t know how to explain to you that bad things happen to good people. I don’t know how to explain to you why cancer can come back. I don’t understand why people are trafficked. I don’t understand how drugs can be so prevalent, how so many inappropriate things can just be looming outside our four walls.”

When you truly look at the state of the world we are raising our children in, it’s heartbreaking. I miss my childhood days when we fearlessly stayed outside playing capture the flag until the street lights came on and it was time for dinner. I miss the days when we could ride our bikes to school and didn’t fear locking the door right behind us. Now, I find myself constantly trying to lock out and block out the world. From the internet to social media, video games, and books, the world is chasing after our time, our minds, and our souls, and it is saturated in sin.

I want better for my children, for my future grandchildren, and for your children. In order for us to change the community around us, God tells us to train up our own children. Help set their firm foundation in Him. Lead by example; let them see us searching for the answers to life’s problems in the Bible. Let them hear us praying for help, guidance, and protection. Show them what it looks like to exude kindness to others, to be intently present. Show them how to be the light in the middle of the darkness.

If we want to change the current state of our world, a great place to start is by showing our kids how to be like Jesus in our community.

I pray, as you take on this Monday and start your week, that you think about your community. That you pray intently for God to give you wisdom on how you can make an impact and change the story.

 


Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.