Words. Typed. On. The. Screen.
Whew! What a huge relief!
After agonizing procrastination over writing these devotionals, words formed on the page in obedience to God. I prayed for His message to be my words so that women may be encouraged.
Love With All Your Mind
My husband and I took a trip to Beavers Bend State Park and we hiked the beautiful Ouachita Mountains. We took the hiking trail called Lookout Mountain and it did not disappoint. As we stood there in awe at the majestic mountain range that surrounded us, we could easily set our minds on how God is truly amazing. Making our way down the trail, we approached a sign that charted our next course of direction; however, the sign was broken and the direction we should have taken was missing.
Love With All Your Heart
How do we know that we are loving the Lord with all our heart? We look to scripture to find the answer. Matthew 15:18 says, “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Love With All Your Soul
Your soul is the core of who you are and who God created you to be. He desires that every thought, feeling, decision and perception flows through Him. He wants you to love Him with all your soul.
Love Your Neighbor
One of the exciting things my husband and I get to enjoy as leaders in college ministry is having socials at our house. We love having our home filled with students, fellowshipping with each other, conversing over a home-cooked meal, and laughing as we play entertaining games. Seeing their smiling faces of appreciation warms our heart.
Love With All Your Strength
My youngest daughter enjoys taking tumbling class each week. I watch as her coach works on building her core muscle strength and her balance. All the exercises and skilled techniques are designed to build up her strength so that one day she can perform a somersault or a backhandspring. My daughter cannot perform these amazing moves until she builds up her muscle strength necessary to achieve these great skills.
The Power of Words
Last week I turned over my calendar to a new month. At the top of my March page was this quote:
Kind words are jewels that live in the heart and remain as blessed memories years after they have been spoken. M. Johnson
21st Century Marthas
Mary and Martha is a favorite story of many, especially with those of us who have neither the energy nor the organizational ability to operate at Martha-level. And Jesus’ gentle rebuke seems to be encouragement to simplify our life and center it on Him.
HALT
It was a low point in Israel’s history. Ahab, the king was weak and Jezebel, his queen, was wicked, idolatrous and in charge. She busily imported priests of Baal from her home country while actively hunting down and eliminating all followers of Jehovah. It looked as if the true religion was on a pathway to extinction.
March: Lion, Lamb or Snail
Ah, the seasons! They are truly one of God’s best ideas. We see His invisible hand in June’s full-flowering beauty, September’s glorious bounty and the pristine purity of December’s first snow. So, what can we say about March?
The Best Kind of Pride
My aunt, my mother’s only sibling, was a remarkable woman. My mother was beautiful, but my aunt was smart and stylish. My mother married young and it looked as if my aunt would be a career woman when, in her mid-thirties, she met her future husband. After two years of marriage, they bought a little house. Soon after, opened their own real estate office. Because my uncle was a natural salesman and my aunt was a genius manager, their business was a success.
Coming Restoration
The first two-thirds of Ezekiel are about God’s coming judgment on Judah and other nations. But, hallelujah, that’s not the end of the story! The last chapters of Ezekiel prophesy of Judah’s coming restoration.
The Truth that Is Not Spoken
A truth that permeates scripture is greatly avoided by many today. It’s seldom spoken about for fear it will be offensive. It’s labeled harsh and unloving by some. Others deny it. I am speaking of the truth of God’s coming judgment. Ezekiel was given the difficult task of proclaiming God’s coming judgment to sinful Israel. God instructed Ezekiel to speak about His coming judgment whether people listened or not.
Rise Up!
Periodically, the President of the United States gives his State of the Union address. His national assessment might or might not be based upon facts. In Ezekiel 22, God gave a State of the Union address regarding Judah. God assessed the political leaders, priests, prophets, and people and declared them all to be corrupt! As always, God’s judgment was based upon truth. (Romans 2:2)
Thrive!
As I read this verse in Ezekiel, I thought, Wait a minute. No one takes a shoot from the top of a tree and plants it. The shoot would surely die! Yet, God declares, On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches (Ezekiel 22:23).
A Story of Grace
What is your spiritual story? Believer, what would your life be like today without the Lord? Periodically, it’s good to remember our past, so we can cherish our present and eternal state.
The Rocking Chair
I sank into the overstuffed rocker and massaged my throbbing forehead.
The Blueprint
As a young wife and mother, I thought I had the perfect blueprint for our family. My intention was to have two children. No more. Within a few years we had two wonderful little boys. When I learned that I was expecting baby number three, I was extremely upset.
The Plumb Line
In the days before HGTV revealed the intricacies of home decorating, I naively decided to redo the wallpaper in our bathroom myself. Why hire a professional when I could do it, right? Little did I know how tricky it would be to remove the existing paper or how tired I would become before finishing the project.
Dusty Books
I sat down to read and turned on the table lamp beside me. As light spread across the table, I saw a fine white powder coated its surface and even the books resting there.