In the familiar text of Luke 5, Simon Peter has been fishing all night but he catches nothing. Being a fisherman by trade, every night counts. If he doesn’t catch fish, his livelihood diminishes. I can imagine Simon’s frustration as he sits in his boat, scouring an empty net again, cleaning it of debris, seaweed, and mud, but finding not even a single fish. He must have felt like a failure….
Continue reading →I wouldn’t have noticed, except I saw the blood droplets trailing behind where I had mopped. I’ve conditioned myself to continue mopping regardless of difficulties, so I figured I’d deal with the wound later. I had to empty and fill the bucket with water continuously because the dirt and blood quickly changed the clean water dirty. To my detriment, the wound was worse than I thought. I ended up stopping to clean it and place a band-aid on my finger. Only then could I continue. …
Continue reading →Once inside, Roland told Anna about his salvation experience of 1942. He had turned his life over to the Lord while serving in the Armed Forces, during World War II. For eight years, until he came home, he had written Bible verses while in the barracks. He’d slip a verse or two into the pockets of his uniform daily. When danger loomed, he’d touch his pocket and recharge by remembering the verse. He didn’t know what the outcome of the war would be, but he knew his salvation was secured as was his eternal soul. …
Continue reading →If there is any part of us that has been in rebellion, draw us back home…
Continue reading →Separating the lies we’ve believed, from the truth of who He really is, makes all the difference. When we do this, we realize God is so much better than any human being could ever be. He is the kind of father who is a mighty protector as well as a loving redeemer. He constantly watches over His children, stands up for their cause, and takes up their grievances in a powerful way. He can do for us what no earthly father could ever do, no matter how amazing our dads are. This is the beauty of our Heavenly Father. The truth is, He loves us better than anyone else ever could. …
Continue reading →The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV Dad stood behind me, dabbing oil paint on the canvas. My hand rest atop his, so it felt like I was painting, but I knew who held the brush. Soon, he slid his hand away, and I grasped the brush. His hand was still … Continue reading →
As important as the rearview mirror is, we cannot drive well if looking backwards is our total focus. Perhaps this is why the rearview mirror is so small compared to the windshield in front that is so much bigger. Even the early inventors knew that where we are going is more important than where we have been. I like to glance and see the progress I have made, and while nothing is wrong with this behavior, it is not beneficial to where I am going. I must keep my eyes on the road ahead, and only glance at the road behind. …
Continue reading →My Father adopted me into His family when I was only a teen. I needed His love, and He was there for me. Even though I had a lot of character flaws, and even though I was insecure, He took me in—no questions asked, nothing disqualifying me from becoming part of His family. Now, I live every day to show Him my gratitude…
Continue reading →God wants His relationship with us to be one of love, the kind of love between a parent and child, one which is close and personal. …
Continue reading →My daughter’s team not only lost miserably, but they managed to build what looked more like a straw squid than a tower. They dubbed it their “messterpiece.” “Messterpiece.” Isn’t that what we look like to God without His intervention? …
Continue reading →In times past, when I was not walking with Jesus Christ, when I started a conversation with a woman, I did not necessarily think the interaction all the way through; I just thought about the moment. I never really counted the cost of igniting the flame with my conversation or friendly gestures. I hadn’t considered or taken the time to think what happens when…
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