Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. ~2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV I needed the presence and the peace of God. I try to spend extended time with the Lord on Sundays, reading His Word and praying. One Sunday, an overflow of prayer needs came to mind. My wife had undergone three hospitalizations the month before and was in rehab, getting healthy enough to come home. … Continue reading →
The Sheep I grew up in the upper Midwest, in a small community near the United States’ sheep capital. I could drive past farms and sale pens and see hundreds of sheep—large and small flocks. But my favorite time of year was spring, when little lambs with fresh fleeces danced in the fields and played beside their mothers. Their wool was always the brightest white, and their faces so sweet. They were endearing and curious. The older sheep had thick, … Continue reading →
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” ~Luke 12:15 NLT Who would have thought a book of stamps would buy what I wanted? Sadly, they turned into stamps for trade that disappoint. Years ago, as an additional marketing tactic to attract customers, Piggly Wiggly grocery stores offered Greenback stamps. A small machine was located just above the cash register. The cashier punched in the amount the customer had purchased, … Continue reading →
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. ~2 Corinthians 4:8 NLT We are experiencing troubling times. The Bad News These are times of uncertainty. Bad news lurks on every front. COVID-19 hasn’t gone away. Inflation is through the roof. Fuel costs are reaching unprecedented highs, and food costs continue to rise. Wars and rumors of wars are the recent headlines. At times like this, however, it … Continue reading →
By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ~Psalm 42:8 ESV When a friend, a first-grade teacher, invited me to help her with some back-to-school preparation, I eagerly accepted. Before we assembled the binders for her students, she asked her teenage daughter to find music online for us to listen to. The young lady asked for suggestions. I asked for instrumental Hawaiian. She quickly … Continue reading →
Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. ~Genesis 6:14 NLT The encounter was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Several years ago, my wife and I had planned to visit the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, but those plans fell through. Then, my school entered a five-year training program—one of which involved teacher-training conferences and tours at the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. Although my wife couldn’t … Continue reading →
The sky showed pink swooshes peeking over the eastern treetops. Wild birds chattered, and the chickens echoed with crows’ caws. Our two cats met me on the top step, ready for early morning scratches. And Amos, our small dog, raced around the yard trailing scents in every direction. It was a beautiful morning for a walk around the front field. Even though the dewy grass quickly soaked through my shoes, making my socks squish when I stepped, I overlooked the … Continue reading →
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ~John 10:27 KJV A little boy moved to a new neighborhood. He looked for friends, found some, and played all day long. As dinner time approached, his father looked for him and called his name. The boy heard his father calling and told his friends he had to go home. His father’s voice was deep and bass, and he could hear him quite easily. The Voice The … Continue reading →
Sometimes I don’t know what to do when I don’t know what to do about a problem or situation. My mind wraps around the problem and looks at it from every angle, trying to wrangle up a solution. But when I try to solve a predicament I’ve become obsessed with, I leave little room for God to work. No resolution comes. When I heard a sermon on this subject recently, I took notes as fast as I could. God has … Continue reading →
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this … Continue reading →
