Thoughts

Philippians 1: 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: When I stop and think about how God has allowed me to walk with Him through this life, I am blown away by the multitude of blessings that […]

1 Corinthians 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) I said I was not going there again. But then the fall candy showed up. I had to buy some for the Trunk or Treat […]

Sometimes I am confused. Sometimes my soul is shaken by the evil in this world. Sometimes Psalm 82:5 describes my life – “All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” – and I feel like I am trying to step where the land is falling away, stone by stone, under my feet. My […]

If we could see beyond the mists of this world into eternity, If we could view God’s power and His presence as they truly are, the burdens would seem lighter. Our days would be brighter. And we would walk with confidence and joy. I Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor […]

Peter, that disciple we seem to most identify with, the headstrong, the determined, the outspoken, the foot-in-the-mouth one, followed Christ from the moment that Jesus called him from his fisherman’s nets. Peter slipped sometimes. He trusted the wrong voice sometimes, and he often spoke when he should have been listening. He messed up royally, but […]

I really identified with this prayer. Perhaps you can, too. Proverbs 16:31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.

Dear Teacher, As I drove along Highway 22 today, I passed cluster after cluster of traumatized trees left from the disaster known as Hurricane Michael. Many trees, though growing, were spindly and bent. Other trees were growing in unnatural ways with stubby branches and shapes that were anything but symmetrical. A few trees stood straight […]

Today, I cooked breakfast and cleaned the kitchen. I picked up stray items and made the bed. I washed and dried clothes. I read books to grandchildren, inspected an armadillo hole, and helped the children chase millipedes. We shoveled, dug worms, and walked to the mailbox. Racing and laughter were involved. Later, I prepared lunch […]

This is the day I will praise You. This is the day I must sing. This is the time I will lift my voice, Adoring You my King. Now is the moment of worship. Now I can see Your grace. Now is the time I long to live Held fast in Your embrace. My heart […]

When we face the depths of our sin, we either run willingly to the cross for forgiveness, or we bury the knowledge, hardening the heart and distancing ourselves from the love which Christ has so freely given. I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and […]

Once I was lost, but now I am found. Once I lived in fear, but now God’s peace fills my heart. Once I struggled to be good enough, but now I know that Christ is good enough. Once I walked in darkness, but now Christ has given light. Once I worried about the future, but […]

We have just come through a weekend of funerals, memorial services to honor and remember those who have gone before us. We began with the life of a 72-year-old man who had lived a full and eventful life. He chose to embrace adventure and learning, and he left a legacy of stories that will long […]

Happy Birthday, America! Today we remember the bravery of the those who established the foundational concepts of our country. Immersed in the culture and strength and faith of the early immigrants who came to America seeking freedom to live and prosper and worship, the men who signed the Declaration of Independence risked their lives and […]

I fritter around, anxious about being anxious, forgetting that when Jesus is near, the sick are raised, funerals are interrupted, and the weary and wondering are given assurance and help. Luke 7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? […]

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.Some days I need a checkup. Not from a medical doctor, but from my Lord.David asked for a checkup in Psalm 26. He asked God to inspect his mind, his heart, his emotions. He even asked God to prove, or test, […]

I watched the dawn this morning. Light slowly emerged from the darkness, ushering in a new day. Trees and grass appeared as the sky quickly changed from black to gray to blue. Life awoke. Birds greeted the awakening with me, and tendrils of fog could no longer survive the light. A new morning, a new […]

Life happens, and it gives no guarantees. Bad things, from our human perspective, attack those who try to do good. Sometimes, evil seems to prosper. Righteous people can die young, and the evilest among us may thrive well into old age. Both poverty and riches are fleeting, and we can take nothing of this life […]

The day had been long, but it was almost over. I stood clearing my desk as the children visited, quietly waiting for the bus calls. Time was dragging. Then, I noticed a small face peering over the stack of papers on my desk. The six-year-old boy had inched up silently and now stood thoughtfully watching […]

My snapdragons did not grow as I expected them to this year. I planted the plants in late January. They were nice straight plants, and a few were already budding. I expected them to grow into straight tall stalks with blooms appearing in early March. The stalks did grow. And they grew. And they grew. […]

There is a sparkle in the air on this chilly first day of Spring! After a wet and messy weekend, the air is washed clean of pollen (for a moment), and light bounces off the new green of trees and grass. Budding flowers let me know that even though I need a jacket this morning, […]