Christy Bass
Adams

Contributing Writer

Christy Bass Adams is married and has two sons. She serves as the Outreach and Connections Coordinator at Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, Florida and writes a weekly inspirational column in Greene Publishing entitled, Learning As I Go. When she isn’t reading or writing, you can find her tinkering in the woodshop, wetting a line in the river, or sitting by the fire. For more inspiration from Christy, visit her blog at christybassadams.com.

More from Christy Bass Adams

More from Christy Bass Adams

The Advents of Our Lives

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ESV

When I was a kid, families signed up each week of December to light the Advent candle and read a special passage of scripture in front of the church. During week one, the scriptures spoke of the hope of the coming Messiah. Week two was about preparing for the King. Joy was the focus of week three, while week four was about loving our Savior. As I reminisced, I got curious about the meaning of the word advent and decided to look it up. According to The Oxford Dictionary, advent means “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.” In the context of Christmas and waiting on the coming Messiah, that meaning makes a lot of sense. But what about all of the advents we experience in our everyday lives?

When I was young, I couldn’t wait for the advent of adulthood. I just knew turning 18 was going to be the best time of my life. I would have no worries, nobody telling me what to do. Then the advent of marriage; such a magical time in life that promised such hope. Or the advent of my first real job. I was ready to take on the world. I remember the advent of our first child. We were nervous, excited and terrified we would break the little guy. By the advent of the second one, we knew we wouldn’t break him, but we were terrified all over again. All of these advents were special times in my life. Hope, preparation, joy, and love were all easy to come by as I prepared for those advent seasons. When the advents were favorable, it was easy to anticipate the new season of advent.

But what happens when the advent isn’t favorable? What happens when we face the advent of depression, loss, fear, or addiction? What happens when the advent means deep emotional pain, suffering, grief, and mental anguish? What happens when we face the advent of cancer, death, job loss, and divorce? These advents are dark, scary, debilitating, and consuming. They sneak in and destroy, often leaving us hopeless and defeated. Our bodies get weary and our spirits are often broken. These aren’t the advents that we like to think about, but more often than not, they are the advents that end up staring us right in the face.

So what do we do when these advents come? We find hope. Hope in God. Hope in the people around us. Hope in the future. We prepare. Prepare spiritually. Prepare mentally and emotionally. Prepare safe places where we can be vulnerable and open. We embrace joy. Joy in our faith. Joy in the special moments of the day. Joy in the people who surround us. And we love. Love God. Love our family and friends. Love this life with every ounce of energy we can muster. And when we get through to the other side, we do it all over again and again and again. 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.” a CSB

The advents of life are coming whether we want them to or not. Sometimes they will be good but often they will rock us to the core. Whether good or bad, easy or hard, safe or scary, we already have a guide that we can follow. No matter what advent is looming in the distance, we know the prescription: hope, preparation, joy, and love. 

Copyright © 2019 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Don't Waste the Drive

One of my favorite weekend pastimes is riding the dirt roads. No destination. No time limit. Just exploring and taking in the scenery. It’s been a long while since I have taken the time to just ride, but my husband and I decided to load up the kids and hit the dirt roads. We grabbed a snack at the store and the boys took turns deciding whether we turned left or right. It was relaxing soaking in the scenery of our rural county without worrying about the regular time constraints and demands of life.

Somehow, we ended up on a dirt road neither of us had ever been down. There is something special about discovering a new road. I found myself slowing down to pay extra attention to the landmarks and scenery. I watched the road closer as I was unfamiliar with washouts and ditches. It was exciting to be able to add this new road to our driving route in the future.

Even more exhilarating was seeing where we came out. At first, the road seemed to never end. We watched the compass on my car switch from North to Northeast to East as the road wiggled and twisted. We started seeing roads that pulled off, but none of them were familiar. Finally, we recognized a road name. Then another and another. The light bulb came on and we started seeing how all of the dirt roads were connected. Eventually, we hit a very familiar paved road, and everything came together.

Often, we come to new roads in life. We aren’t sure how we got there, but suddenly here we are, face to face with a new direction. The last four months of my life have been spent blindly cruising down a new road of health issues. Just like we did today, I often find myself slowing down and soaking up every ounce of the blessing that we are experiencing. Even though it’s hard, there is so much of life’s scenery that I have unintentionally taken for granted and I don’t want to miss any of it, anymore. 

And then, there are many new obstacles I need to pay attention to: doctor’s visits, unexpected bursts of emotions, weariness, added responsibilities, and new challenges. Being ready and paying attention to these things has been so important. But what has been really neat is seeing where this new road is heading and knowing that somewhere it will connect to something familiar and everything will become interconnected and seamless like all of the other roads we have been down in the past. Somehow, God is going to weave this new road into our journey and use it for His glory and hopefully to help others find their way when nothing seems familiar. I’m reminded of that familiar passage in OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NLT), 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Knowing that God is in control of the drive helps me navigate this new road. Like (NLT) says,

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We just don’t know what God has in store and where we will end up. Let’s do our best to trust God on this new road and never, ever waste the drive.

Copyright © 2020 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Stop Closing the Door

Today my world felt out of control. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get a grip. So, I did what every out of control woman does on days like this — I cleaned! There’s something about reclaiming an area that helps me feel like I have gotten some control back. I began this little cleaning venture in the master bathroom, and I realized quickly how neglected this room truly was. We have had so many other projects going on that it has been easy to close the door and ignore the mess. 

At first, I set out to only clean the shower and toilet. Then I realized the sink needed to be scrubbed. Well, then I noticed a sticky place on the floor. The list went on and on. I finally had to quit for the night even though I kept finding more and more areas that needed to be cleaned. 

During the final moments of mopping, it dawned on me how easy it had been to simply close the bathroom door and not deal with the mess that was in our master bathroom. Messes are messy. They require a lot of hard work and intentional focus. Time and energy have to be exerted and decisions have to be made about how to best handle the mess. We may regret the decision later, but on the front side, closing the door often seems like the best idea.

We do the same thing with the messy parts of our lives. It is easy to close that door and pretend the mess in our hearts isn’t there. But, like Jesus said to the Pharisees in OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (CSB),

“Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.”

In our daily lives, so often we recognize problems and issues. We excuse them away and say we will deal with them later. We allow the mess of unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, and other sin to grow inside our hearts for so long that it becomes normal. Closing the door seems easier than trying to wade through the mess and bring it back into order again. 

But closing the door only makes the mess bigger. When the day comes to open the door and clean it up, the mess will be large and hard to deal with. At this point, no matter where we look, we will constantly see the wreckage of our brokenness and wish we hadn’t neglected it for so long. Like the Psalmist expressed about his own hidden sin,

“When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.” ( , CSB)

Messes are messy. They require a lot of hard work and intentional focus. Time and energy will need to be exerted and decisions made about how to best handle the mess. If we become aware of some areas that we have been shoving away and shutting the door, let’s take some time to deal with those issues. If we don’t deal, we won’t heal. We need to stop closing the door and tackle the mess head-on before life gets too messy to clean up.

Copyright © 2020 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Stay in Your Lane

Leaving town last week, I spotted a large orange sign that read, “Stay in your lane.” I snickered. What an obvious direction. Of course I was going to stay in my lane.

At different moments throughout the week, those words ran through my mind. It’s been a long few days in our neck of the woods. Along with the normal busyness of life, my husband had surgery. Between nerves, emotions, and unrealistic fears I was pretty tired by the time we made it to surgery day. So many times I wondered why. So many times I feared the worst. So many times I wished it wasn’t really happening. I just wanted out of my lane.

No wonder that sign stood out to me! The phrase that seemed so obvious earlier in the week now strobed like a flashing beacon reminding me to stay in the race. Honestly, this week I wanted a new lane in a whole different race. Sometimes the race that we are called to isn’t easy. The obstacles and challenges are overwhelming and the lane we are assigned to is hard to navigate. Staying focused and in the race often seems impossible and the other lanes seem much more appealing.

No matter what, though, I have to stay in my lane. The other lanes might appear smoother or wider. Maybe they have fewer obstacles or challenges. But just as soon as I try to move over, I may crash headlong into another vehicle, swerve into a ditch, or hydroplane into a cornfield. I am not equipped to drive in someone else’s lane. I am not designed to drive in someone else’s race.

Looking back over our stretch of the journey this week, even though it was hard, I realize how blessed we are. All week long God has sent us cheerleaders to help us stay focused and in the race. Whether it was through phone calls, visits, or texts, we received more encouragement and love than I ever thought possible. My phone was blowing up with people sending prayers and checking in. Even though this part of the race was hard, we had more than what we needed to make it through to the next leg of the journey. It reminds me of the scripture in OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) : 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (NLT)

Maybe the race you are in is difficult. Maybe it is unfair or frustrating. Or maybe this is the best season you have had in a while. No matter what stretch of the race you are in, stay in your lane. No one else can live the life you have been given. No one else can stay in the lane of the race that you are in. Keep your eyes on the prize and realize that you are not in this race alone. If you keep your eyes focused in the right direction, you will have everyone and everything you need at just the right time to navigate all of the turns, bumps, and obstacles. Don’t lose heart. Don’t wish away this season. Trust God’s timing. And make sure to stay in your lane. 

(NLT) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Copyright © 2019 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

This Is My Story

Cancer has come to our home. It’s a guest that has moved in uninvited and has changed everything in our lives. Endless scans and tests. Familiarity with doctor’s offices. An assigned oncologist. An unknown future.

During a recent worship service, our new reality hung heavy like a plume of smoke. I saw the words flash across the screen that reminded me to trust in the Lord and count my blessings. I didn’t want to trust in the Lord and I definitely didn’t want to count my blessings. I just wanted to go home, put on my pajamas, and hide from this terrible nightmare. I wanted to be sad and mourn what my life was supposed to look like. But instead, I was at a church conference and couldn’t stop the tears.

But then these words showed up on the screen and the old familiar tune filled my ears, “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.”

The tears got heavier and I began to pray angrily under my breath, “God, I don’t want this story for my husband and I don’t want this to be the song over our lives. I sure don’t feel like praising you right now, either. I want a new story, God. I want a new song.”

Once I finally uttered those pent-up words, the heaving cries began. Slowly I lifted my head and through blurry eyes read the words again. I realized, in that moment, whether I liked it or not, this IS our story and this IS our song. And I had a choice. I could carry on in sadness, too distracted by my weighty emotions to see past the tears, or I could embrace this new reality with the calm assurance that none of this surprised God and he is ultimately good. Then I could make the choice to praise God for all of the blessings in our life. Even this journey through cancer.

So, with much hesitation and fear, I began singing the words to the song. Slowly, I let go and chose to believe God is good, and that He will always be good, no matter what. I chose to believe God will never let us down, even in the face of cancer and all of the unknowns that come with that ugly word. I chose to plant the reality of His goodness deep in my soul even though I didn’t have all of the answers. In that moment, I chose victory and decided to let God get the glory in this hard season.

“For the Word of the Lord is right, and all his work is trustworthy.” Psalm 33:4 (CSB)

“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you. In the presence of everyone you have acted for those who take refuge in you.” OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (CSB)

Cancer, our uninvited guest, has come to our home and changed everything in our lives. But this IS our story. This IS our song. And even when it’s hard. Even when he’s sick. Even when we’re weary, lose hope, and don’t know what is next. Even when we are sad and can’t stop the tears, we will trust our Savior. In the morning, in the night, and when it’s the hardest words to form on our lips — we will praise Him. If He has allowed cancer to be our story and our song, then He will also give us the strength to keep praising Him all the day long.

Copyright © 2020 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Let Someone Else Reel It In

When my husband and I were newly married we loved to spend time at the coast. He had an airboat and we fished in the sawgrass and creeks off of Keaton Beach in Florida. One particular Saturday, we had been on the water for a while and suddenly we hit a pocket of trout. I say we. It wasn’t we. It was my husband, David. He hit a pocket of trout and brought in fish after fish. I cast my line in the same place and the fish took his bait instead of mine. I reeled exactly like David. I even held my head crooked and mouth funny trying to be like him, but nothing took my bait.

So, I did what any other wife would do that was getting skunked by her husband. I sulked. I crossed my arms, pouted, and sulked. David finally felt sorry for me and we traded poles. First cast into the water and David lands another trout ... on my pole. Boy, was I hot! This competitive girl lost her cool, threw her pole down, and quit.

Fast forward to now. We took our boys down the river and found a nice sand bar. Another family with kids was there and their son really wanted to catch a fish. I told him the next fish I hooked, he could reel it in. After a few minutes, I called him over and he excitedly reeled in a fish. I got it off the hook, he grabbed it and ran over to show his mom and dad. I smiled from the inside out and got another line ready so one of my sons could reel in the next fish that I hooked.

A lot has changed over the years. I used to want all the glory. I put in the hard work of baiting and casting. I waited and hunted for fish and if one ever took the bait, boy was I excited to bring that fish in and show it off. But now, I’m content letting someone else reel it in. I don’t mind searching for the perfect place, putting in the time, and waiting on the fish to take the bait. I don’t mind handing over the reel to someone else and letting them get the credit. The smile on that little boy’s face, the pride he felt, the encouragement it gave him; it was worth it.

Life is the same way. Sometimes it is okay to back off and let someone else get the credit. In this world of competition, ladder climbing, and trying to be the best, sometimes we forget that our lives and actions will speak louder than one isolated moment of victory. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NLT) states,

“But those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Yeah, someone else might get the credit for all of our hard work, but maybe that’s the shot in the arm they need to move ahead. Maybe we have already proven ourselves again and again and it is time to put someone else in the limelight. Maybe we just need to encourage those younger than us so that they will feel and become successful. Or maybe we need to take people out of the equation entirely and do everything simply for the glory of God. (NLT) reads,

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people.”

Whatever the reason, just remind yourself that it isn’t always about getting the credit. Sometimes it’s okay to let someone else reel it in.

Copyright © 2020 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Pockets of Joy

While I dressed my youngest in his overalls, I remembered the many hours I used to spend wearing my own pair of overalls. I loved filling up all of the pockets with treasures of the day. Ladybugs, roly-polies, and rocks were just a few of the precious items I packed away in all of the secret compartments. The zippered pockets were always my favorite because I didn’t have to worry about losing any of my bugs or rocks. Oh, how I enjoyed storing up all of those little treasures.

As I think about storing those sacred trinkets in my pockets, I can’t help but think about the special treasures I have been storing up for myself lately. Every time someone says they are praying for us, I tuck it away in one of my pockets. When I get to spend time with special friends, I store it away in another pocket. Encouraging words get stashed to pull out on a later day. Laughs and giggles from my boys get pushed in close. But then there are those special moments where I feel like God sends just the right person, just the right song, or just the right scripture and those are the treasures that get zipped up so they won’t fall out. Those are the moments that get me through the hard times.

“My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all his benefits.” OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) CSB

Sometimes life can be all-consuming and it feels like it won’t let up any time soon. Sometimes the valleys outnumber the hills and the springs of refreshment seem to never appear. But that’s where these pockets of joy come in. When something makes you smile, tuck it away and when things get tough, pull it back out. When someone brings joy into your life, enjoy the moment fully, slip it away in another pocket and remind yourself of that instance when the world looks bleak. When you are blessed, loved, and valued, zip it up in that special pocket where it can’t fall out; you might just need the reminder very soon.

“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.” CSB

Even in hardship, there are pockets of joy. Sometimes I think those special pockets are the reminders that actually get us through to the other side. I’m thankful for a God who loves us enough to send us those blessings at just the right time. Pay attention to the wonders around you. Take time to find joy in your world. Let the smile linger when it chooses to appear. Then start storing up those special treasures in your overalls. You might just find that those pockets of joy, sent straight from the Father, are what get you through the day.

Copyright © 2020 Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.

Cherish These Moments

That tiny little hand closed around my finger for the first time. I held him close, skin to skin, in sheer amazement at the life God had grown inside of me. All of the discomfort, quick runs to the bathroom, morning sickness and pain suddenly faded into the distant past as this new little life captured my heart. Cherish these moments, was the whisper I heard in my heart.

I heard the feet coming down the hall at a dead run. Those feet never slowed down, even in his sleep. Quickly, I adjusted the pillow, pulled back the covers, and waited on my little boy to dive into bed and snuggle up beside me. He rolled over, wrapped his arm around me, and was sound asleep in a matter of seconds. I laid there with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. Cherish these moments, was the whisper I heard in my heart.

He slipped his hand into mine as we walked down the dirt road on our farm. I gently squeezed it as I listened to his countless questions about everything around us. Suddenly he broke free and ran towards a clump of weeds. When he came back, he had a giant smile across his face as he handed me a yellow wildflower. “It was all alone and needed a friend, so I picked it for you,” he said. I slid the flower behind my ear and gripped his hand once more. Cherish these moments, was the whisper I heard in my heart.

Mary and Joseph searched frantically for Jesus. They ran from cart to cart seeing if he was with a friend or relative. Finally, they turned around and went back to Jerusalem where they found Jesus, three days later, teaching in the temple. At first, they were frustrated, but Jesus responded,

“Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” ( OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) , NAS).

Mary took in the scene, probably remembering the angel that visited her and the promises that surrounded her precious son. b (NAS) says,

“And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”

Just like Mary, we as mothers treasure so many special things in our hearts. Every second we get with our children is a special gift from God. Right now, my boys are young, but in the blink of an eye, they will be teenagers and then out on their own starting a family for themselves. I want to raise them up in Christ and teach them how to be men of God. I want to love them big and love them well. And I want to cherish every single moment.  

He climbed in my lap and rested his head on my shoulder. His legs appeared longer and his little boy face seemed to have grown up overnight. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him with one of those forever kind of hugs. Before long, a tickle match broke out and we both spilled out of the chair onto the floor. Cherish these moments, was the whisper I heard in my heart.

“I sure will, God,” I whispered back. “With all my heart.”

Copyright © Christy Bass Adams, used with permission.