Authorized, Commissioned, and Equipped

VineWords Devotions and More

Jesus did not send His followers out unprepared. He readied them for the mission before He gave the assignment. They had been with Him for three years and watched as He ministered to people. He was their teacher and He wanted them to follow His example. In doing so they walked in His authority.

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The Fruit of Goodness

VineWords Devotions and More

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ~Galatians 5:22-23a CSB What is the fruit of goodness? We know it is a fruit of the Spirit, but how does it look?   We see goodness in the nurse who, in the midst of her busy schedule, risks losing her job to kneel by the bed of a dying patient to inquire whether her patient is God’s child. Discovering that the patient … Continue reading →

The Raging War of Darkness

VineWords Devotions and More

Sometimes, the raging war of darkness can be relentless.  Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ~1 Peter 2:11 NIV Sam’s childhood was not one he wanted to remember, so the liquor he drank kept those memories buried deeply in his subconscious. Sam’s only goal entailed finding the bottom of the bottle. Once he attained his goal, he found silence from the laughter of the townspeople. Nevertheless, … Continue reading →

Wallflowers Can Dance

VineWords Devotions and More

I stepped outside my comfort zone, stepped into a Soul Dancing class, and discovered that wallflowers can dance.   Twice each week, I showed up in comfy shoes and a big smile, along with twenty-five to thirty other folks with varying levels of dancing ability. I’ve never thought I had natural rhythm, and I have had few opportunities to prove it. It was all I could manage to keep my right and left straight while counting continuously. I laughed a … Continue reading →