“All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16 Like a writer developing their characters for their book God has written out the story of our life. It’s an amazing thing to think about. God has written out ahead of time the plan God … Continue reading »

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Romans 8:26 Sometimes we get distracted by the trials we face in life. We consider them to be a disadvantage or weakness in our lives. When just maybe they are the leading of the Holy Spirit wanting to help us to do what God has been … Continue reading »

“The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalm 27:1 I like to workout at least 30 minutes every day since my brother died in January. When I workout on the exercise bike I … Continue reading »

“How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I wake, I am still with Thee.” Psalm 139:17-18 How precious Lord that there is: Never a time when I’m not in God’s thoughts … Continue reading »

“Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’” John 3:3 A Pharisee named Nicodemus seems so desperate for answers that he comes to Jesus late at night to ask him questions. He saw something special in this man and so he comes … Continue reading »

“Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This … Continue reading »

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 Jesus I do not want to be a lost sheep, but at times I am – How grateful am I that Jesus is my seeking Shepherd. Jesus I do not want to be a needy sheep, but at times I am – How grateful … Continue reading »

“If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition … such ‘wisdom’ is of the devil. The wisdom that comes from God is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial and sincere. James 3:14-17. In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 As my son was leaving for work this … Continue reading »

“So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.” 1 Samuel 17:50 It was my first Sunday as I headed out to a small rural church. I had only been there once – I still remember thinking I’m … Continue reading »

We cannot champion a dream on our own most of the time. We need others to help us if our dream is to become a reality. But working well with other people takes effort and lots of prayer. These are some of the things I’ve learned along the way that I pass along in hopes … Continue reading »

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 God has a plan to take every adversity and every hardship we go through and use it for our good. God’s not going to beat us down and … Continue reading »

“The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 From dust you have come, to dust you will return are words that are often said every Ash Wednesday to remind us that God is God … Continue reading »

“We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 In one of the churches I served I had a family that collected antique bottles. They didn’t go out and buy them, they dug them up. They would go … Continue reading »

I used to consider giving something up for Lent but not anymore. Almost always it involved food or entertainment – chocolate, pop, favorite TV show, meat, caffeine, and sugar it would be something I enjoyed at the time. A friend tried as her act of self-denial no technology – go 40 days without Facebook or … Continue reading »

“You do not have, because you do not ask.” James 4:2 The only thing left to do is pray. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that said. With God the only thing to do is pray and trust. We are to ask of our Heavenly Father and like any gracious Father God will … Continue reading »

I like what Phillips Brooks said about Ash Wednesday: “Another Ash Wednesday opens for us another Lent. If we have swept aside our ordinary thoughts then we may look in upon our own lives and souls and see them as they really are. The abandonment of thoughts is not something that is good in itself. … Continue reading »

Each new morning God desires to welcome us with all the wonder it holds. Each new morning we can awaken certain of this, that there is One who holds us. And each new morning God promises nothing will be impossible for us when we trust. Not that mountain we’re facing. Not that task we’re dreading. … Continue reading »

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2 During my college years at Indiana State I met a guy who wanted to disciple me. He was the first guy who ever showed an … Continue reading »

“Let us stop just saying that we love people. Let us really love them, and show it by our actions.” 1 John 3:18 Even in the best of relationships we can struggle with selfishness. That’s why it’s so important to look to Jesus as our example when we encounter problems. Everything Jesus did was to … Continue reading »

“This is what the Holy Spirit says: “The owner of this belt will be tied up in this way by the Jews in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.” Acts 21:11 Have you ever done the very thing God told you to do and then ended up in what seemed like … Continue reading »

“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9 Sometimes we face some difficulties that seem insurmountable. And we forget that sometimes great difficulties can lead to more than defeat. Sometimes we feel like the storms of life have been blowing … Continue reading »

“And everywhere Jesus went, to villages, towns, or farms, people would take their sick to the marketplaces and beg him to let the sick at least touch the edge of his cloak. And all who touched it were made well.” Mark 6:56 While in the Holy Land we left the Sea of Galilee and headed … Continue reading »

“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” Psalm 107:29 Storms have a way of getting our attention. But storms come and storms go. Some are mean and nasty and cause all kinds of difficulty and others are just there to darken the sky and keep the sun from … Continue reading »

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 7:17 If you set out to love someone, no one can stop you from reaching your goal. If your goal is to get them to love you back, well now that’s a different story – because they can decide not to … Continue reading »