When God says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT), I sit up and take notice. The Physical Heart The course of my life? That’s intense. Another Bible translation of that verse says to guard my heart, “for from it flow the springs of life” (NASB). That sounds important, too, and not something I should back-burner. God is not talking about my literal heart that is pumping blood through my … Continue reading →
Maintaining a sense of peace no matter the circumstances is huge for me. I am usually plagued with worry and fear. Lately, I’ve been consistently calm, even when troubling events and unsolvable problems have crossed my path. How can this be? When I see what is going on around me, I am shocked that I’m not inwardly cringing or fretting. I have been pressing into God, asking (more like begging) Him to help me trust Him completely. Along with prayer, … Continue reading →
I so desperately want to have a heart that fully trusts God. One hundred percent without worry or doubt. That is “goals” as the young people say. The fact that I worry about anything distresses me, and I apologize to God every time. I asked Him how I could break free of fretting about things. He told me to remember and recite. Remembering all He has done for me fills my heart with joy and chases the fears away. I … Continue reading →
As I watch the tiny yellow flowers on my Roma tomato plants develop from tiny flowers to delicious, vibrant red globes of fruit, I consider the importance of light. Sure, I do my part by watering the plants and fertilizing the soil, but if the fragrant green stalks don’t receive the full sunlight they need, they will die. Light is so important that it was high on God’s creation-to-do list. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was … Continue reading →
Count it all joy, I said to myself as frustration threatened to overtake me. It was my verse for the day, according to an app on my phone. It had been six weeks since my surgery, and the bandage I removed from the suture site revealed I had not healed yet. There was still a small opening that seeped fluid and blood. I breathed deeply, prayed for total healing, and applied a fresh bandage after cleaning the wound with hydrogen … Continue reading →
The Holy Spirit showed me that I must live as God’s creature and stop the hyper-negative thoughts about myself. I go way beyond convictions to stringent routines and harsh criticism. God called me His “Unearthly Thing” one day as I prayed for direction. His new title for me came with such profound love. I cherished the name so much that I wrote a song about it. Then, I used it to title my monthly column I write for an online … Continue reading →
When I was growing up in Southern California, fire season ran from June to October. Dry, hot, heavy winds, called the Santa Ana winds, blew for days, igniting the tiniest sparks into a raging inferno. Now that I am older and living in middle Tennessee, I experience a different kind of fire season. When my spirit feels dry and circumstances are difficult, I suspect I have entered a season of spiritual alteration. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery … Continue reading →
“Stop striving. God has you,” I said to myself during a challenging day with my health. Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth. ~Psalm 46:10 NASB This verse is one of my favorite psalms and a good one to memorize. FreeDictionary.com defines “to strive” as to exert much effort or energy, endeavor, struggle, or fight forcefully; contend. But doing this is an unhealthy mode of … Continue reading →
The phrase “consider the ravens” kept appearing in articles, devotions, and teachings I read and heard. Coincidence? I think not. I try to pay attention when this happens. Usually, it means God is trying to get my attention and teach me what I need to learn. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! ~Luke 12:24 AMP This Scripture … Continue reading →
Heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolate treats, flowers, and candle-lit dinners are common signs of Valentine’s Day. The day we celebrate romance. But how romance looks and what it means can confuse us. I could recount the history behind St. Valentine and his adventures, but we could easily Google that. I’m more interested in the significance of Valentine’s Day and why it is a lasting, well-celebrated holiday. What does God say about romance? Is there romance in the Bible? Yes! The … Continue reading →
