Down I fell, flat on my face! I was running downhill with my dog when suddenly she darted ahead. I hung onto the leash trying to slow her down. Instead, her momentum pulled me down until I was face down in the dirt.
All in Encouragement
Unplug
Social media. We have a love-hate relationship. While I do see it’s merit for connecting with friends and sharing God’s Truth, there are other aspects that irritate me. This is probably how most people feel – happy to stay current with friendships, tired of what they consider bragging.
Refined as Gold
Do you know how precious metals are refined? Smelting is the process in which gold is separated from ore and other metals. The ore is first pulverized with extreme pressure to create tiny particles, which are then melted at almost 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. As the gold becomes molten, most of the impurities are burned up.
Pruning for Purity
All summer long, my backyard rose bush produces hundreds of pink roses. I notice that it blooms and then most of the roses die about the same time. With my garden shears, I cut away the spent blooms. I imagine it sighing and saying, Thank you. Now I have room to grow and bloom all over again.
Keeping the Banana in the Peeling
My one-year-old grandson recently displayed an interesting attitude while eating a banana. He likes for me to peel it a bit and hold it in the peeling. Then every time he passes by, he takes a big bite.
Throw-Away Lines: Day 5
You probably recognize these passages as snippets of genealogical material. For many people, genealogies are Scripture’s ultimate throw-away lines and responsible for wrecking countless thru-the-Bible reading programs just as they are getting started. I get that. But it might be helpful to look at them another way.
No Throw-Away Lines: Day 4
I have marked many Holy Week observances and celebrated many Easter mornings. I was sure I had all the pertinent information and insights about this most sacred time. But recently I saw something that I had never noticed. (Perhaps you, too, have experienced that “when did they put that there” feeling?)
No Throw-Away Lines: Day 3
“Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumblin’ down.” Negro spiritual
When her story begins in Joshua 2, Rahab is just your typical big-city pagan harlot, living in one of the most depraved and idolatrous cultures in recorded history. The city was Jericho of the Canaanites and these were not their best days. Jericho’s nervous residents knew that the upstart Israelites were headed their way with conquest on their minds. That partly explains why Rahab was not surprised to see the two Hebrew spies doing reconnaissance, then agreed to hide them from the king’s men.
No Throw-Away Lines: Day 2
Take one godly man and His devout family, a humongous boat, all kinds of animals and tons and tons (literally) of rain. What do you have? The story or Noah, of course. People who have never darkened the door of a church or cracked open a Bible could probably tell us that. It might be the most familiar story in Scripture.
Growing in Prayer
The first church spent their time learning the apostles’ teaching. And they continued to share, to break bread, and to pray together (Acts 2:42 ICB).
Life's Curveballs
My grandson plays high school baseball. He can throw a wicked pitch called a curveball. It’s especially hard for batters to hit because it dives downward as it nears the plate.
Shadows in the Valley
Suffering. No one wants it. In fact, we work hard to prevent suffering from finding its way into our lives. No matter how you slice it, life is full of challenges and times when the shadow of suffering lingers. Death, job loss and financial stress, difficult relationships, unmet expectations, chronic pain, or living through a natural disaster can all bring great suffering into people’s lives. Each hardship represents loss which is why these experiences can be so painful.
Yea, I'm an Octogenarian!
When I turned eighty, my younger friends were concerned that this would bother me. On the contrary, I wear the term octogenarian with honor.
The Gift of Grace
I’m not surprised that the Apostle John closed his Revelation with a blessing. John’s words of blessing are not only directed to seven churches in Asia Minor but to each one of us—if we’ve accepted Jesus as our Lord.
New Testament Blessings
The Apostle Paul offers a prolific collection of grace-filled words in his letters. Reading them along with John’s and Peter’s blessings touched my heart and reminded me of the power of words, especially words of kindness among believers.
Peace as a Blessing
After Jesus Christ inhabited the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit, we begin to encounter an abundance of kindnesses and blessings sprinkled throughout the New Testament. Jesus described what we should expect when God’s presence is with us. He explained to his disciples just before His crucifixion, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
A Generational Blessing
What exactly is a blessing? It must be more than good wishes or hope for good luck. To me, blessings feel more like a prayer asking God to walk with, abide with or accompany someone on a journey. Discovering the variety of blessings in Scripture warmed my soul and gave me a hunger to know more about them.
Kindness: A Respite for our Souls
he smallest gesture of kindness can refresh someone’s soul.
While waiting for assistance recently, a young adult with a developmental disability suddenly announced to me, “My daddy just died from COVID.”
My Good Shepherd
“What does your Good Shepherd look like?” our Bible study leader asked. Even though I had never thought about that question before my grandmother popped into my head immediately.
Guilty or Not Guilty?
For years I felt guilty for not having a family devotional time with our girls as they grew up. We provided plenty of other spiritual growth opportunities, but not that dedicated sit down time as a family. I stewed and fretted about it a lot.