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There are days that live in our memories; days that rise up and call us to acknowledge the pain of the remembering. September 11, 2001 is such a day. We remember where we were, what we were doing, the shock, the horror, the outrage, and the great grief. We remember the tears. I hope that […]

I treasure the memories of the past and the legacy of my ancestors, but my hope does not rest there. I am awestruck by the sight of an unfurled flag and the swelling chorus of the national anthem, but my hope does not live there. My home is a refuge and my loved ones fill […]

Where do you go when 60 mile per hour winds threaten the campground where you are staying at 11:00 on a Saturday night? I cannot speak for everyone, but we made our way to a concrete bathhouse across the way from our fifth-wheel camper. Awkward in our pajamas, we joined several other people in the […]

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. John 1:4-5 4 In Him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. II Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but […]

I was up early this morning, my heart strangely burdened by battles and weary in waiting. Some days I wonder, “How long, Lord? How many times will the same problems appear? How long?” As I sat cradling my coffee, the sun began its daily ascent on the horizon. The last tendrils of night scattered, and […]

Paul was in prison – incarcerated because of his stand for the Gospel. Even in prison, though, Paul continued his ministry to the churches. He just needed a little help. Here comes Timothy – a young man won to Christ by Paul who was now his trusted friend. This is what Paul said about Timothy […]

Standing on the shore of an Oklahoma lake, I observed the trenches and eroded surfaces of the rock. These rocks were slowly – over years of time – broken, shaped, and polished by moving water. Rain, passing seasons of freezing and thawing, and the rising and falling of the level of the lake accomplished this […]

What do we long for? Stability? Security? A settling in our hearts? A sense of perspective that transcends the demands of the day? Psalm 16:8 gives the key to these heartfelt desires. Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me: because He is my right hand, I shall not be moved. This verse […]

26…27…28…29…beep, beep, beep. That’s my morning cup of coffee coming out of the microwave – for the 4th time! I make it first thing when I get up to enjoy during my quiet time. I usually finish about half of the cup before the tasks of the day begin. I need to put that load […]

Today, I choose joy! I will smile at the sunrise and watch the soaring hawk with gladness. I will laugh at the ice cubes that spill from my hand when I am trying to fill my glass. I will hug the sticky toddler without reservation. I will stop and pet the dog. I will thank […]

Before I awoke this morning, a jet flew over my house. I know this because the early morning rays of sunlight spotlighted the remnant of the vapor trail it left. I missed the noise of its going. I did not see it moving across the dawning sky. I saw the aftermath of its journey – […]

Psalm 102 I have burdens on my heart – we all do – so the first verse of Psalm 102 caught my attention this morning. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto You. I am thankful for the God Who hears – the God Who listens. As I continued to read […]

While flipping through an old journal, I found a prayer that I jotted on August 24, 1976. I know what was happening in my life then. I had just graduated from college. After spending the summer working on my master’s degree, I was home and interviewing for teaching jobs. That was not a good year […]

“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” Robert Robinson, Hymn “Come Thou Fount of Many Blessings” We are a people of wandering hearts, flitting from one obsession to another, always looking for greener grass. There is a reason that God calls us sheep. Even when we determine to […]

Psalm 116 We make Christianity – knowing and loving God – so difficult! Early in my Christian walk, I was plagued by doubt and fear. These feelings overwhelmed me and paralyzed my joy and my service. During that time, I remember reading Psalm 116 (check it out) over and over again, but I focused on […]

My soul is wrapped up in You, Lord.You are my breath,my life,my joy,my righteousness. When I cry,You catch my tears.When I struggle,You lift my hands.When I am silent,Your Spirit whispers love to my heart. The clamor of this worldrubs like sandpaper on my soul;Still, in You,I find rest.I find peace. Worry grabs me and throws […]

Father, Today I pray for the moms and dads who are trying to care for their children in these challenging times. Children are close to Your heart, and that makes them a target for the enemy. You called children ‘arrows’, and You said that the parent whose quiver (pouch that holds arrows) is full is […]

When the God of the Universe moves into a heart, He cleans up the neighborhood. I do not work to earn God’s favor or salvation but knowing Christ as Savior changes me. He makes me a new creation, and, as a new creation, I am under new Management. Life is different. My mom used to […]