Thoughts

We think we have God figured out. We have assumed out assumptions and set our expectations based on finite understanding. We attempt to dictate His actions based on our own personalities and preferences, and we are shocked and shaken when He does not comply. Like toddlers, we presume that the world revolves solely around us […]

God has a great benefit plan! In Psalm 103, David sings his praise to the Lord, and he challenges us to not forget all that God does for us. Here are a few of the benefits David lists for us to remember: God forgives. He heals. He redeems. He crowns with lovingkindness. He loves. He […]

BIG MISTAKE!! I opened Facebook to check on something before I opened my Bible this morning. What did I find? Arguments – some civil, some not – over our president, over the virus, over data, over masks, over current protests and riots. People I know and people I don’t know weighing in with a comment […]

In the heat of the summer, in confusing and troublesome times, in difficult circumstances, our hearts sometimes faint. We begin to wonder if anything makes a difference, and we are tempted to give up. When our eyes and our thoughts focus on this life, things can seem hopeless. Paul talked about fainting in II Corinthians […]

I remember sitting in my dorm room on Father’s Day two years after my dad’s death. Aloneness filled my heart, and I grieved. I thought how blessed I was to have a good dad – a dad who showed his love by showing up for his family every day. A dad who lived his faith […]

The evidence of a vital, growing relationship with God can be seen in our response to crisis. When our faith is in the God Who can, we can endure, we can persevere, we can know joy even in trial and severe sorrow. Faith is not grounded in the temporal; its foundation is the Eternal One. […]

From the tiniest flower on a mountaintop to the smallest anemone buried by ocean waves, treasures only recently discovered by man have been visible to God from the beginning of creation. Purposefully planned and delicately designed, each one exists and performs in its one minuscule part of the ecosystem, and God says, “It is good”. […]

We talk about love – a lot. We talk about loving our neighbor and loving those who are different from us. We frown and complain about hate and injustice. We talk. With all of the talk, I thought I should go back and look at the way God describes love, since He IS love (I […]

A storm is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico prompting me to check the weather app on my phone regularly – just to see the extent of the rain and path of the disturbance. I can look outside and see the rain, but the radar gives me a wider perspective. I also check out where […]

Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Father, Give me grace and courage to walk with You today, to recognize right and uphold it, and to avoid the evil […]

When we realize the preciousness of the trust we hold, its pricelessness will supersede our rights, our need to be first, our impatience. We are entrusted with a treasure – not to hoard or hide, not to hold tightly, grasping. We are entrusted with a treasure – the Gospel of Christ – to give, to […]

Last night, my husband and I watched a video of a large boat maneuvering through icy waters. Small and large icebergs surrounded the vessel as it moved slowly, but steadily, forward. All I could think of was the Titanic. This boat, though, cruised safely through the dangerous waters and emerged safely on the other side. […]

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” –The Lord of the […]

I love to receive notes! “Just thinking of you” notes. “How are you doing” notes. Handwritten and stamped, they delight me. Emails and texts are good, but there is something special about finding a surprise card in the mailbox. God sent me a ‘thinking of you’ note in Psalm 40. Twice in this chapter, He […]

We choose whom or what we follow. Some follow music and video personalities. Their mannerisms, their dress, their hairstyle, their priorities all give evidence of their leadership. Some follow political parties. Blatant on vehicles and t-shirts and social media posts, the chosen party or political ideal is voiced in ballots and checkbooks. A good question […]

We may be bruised and battered by this life. We may feel that we are barely hanging on. But if we have trusted in the Christ, we shall safely reach home. II Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, […]

When I looked at my miniature rose today, something had literally eaten its heart out. An insect or flying squirrel or some other creature attacked it during the night, leaving a gaping hole in the center of the bud. The bud will still open, but its full beauty has been destroyed. If you look at […]

Gardens delight us with their colors and their teeming life. A feast for the eyes, there is always something new to observe. Somehow, working in the soil helps us to reconnect with ourselves and with our God. Perhaps it is because it allows us to play a small part in the creation and nurture of […]

She hung, gripping the edge of the tree limb, hanging on with her last ounce of strength. Screaming, she cried for help. I ran. “Hold on, honey, I’m coming. Hold on.” In just a minute I reached her. As I grasped her feet, I felt her relax and fold into my arms. She was safe. […]

You are not alone. The presence of the Lord is beside you. though cares may grow, He will never hesitate to guide you. The struggles of this life may seem to overcome, but you are not alone – for the Father cares for you. He is a friend that is closer than a brother, a […]