Casting all your care on Him: for He cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7 NKJV The reflection of blue lights flashed in my rear-view mirror. Embarrassed, I pulled over. I just knew the speeding ticket would be next. The Offense “Ma’am, can you explain why you were speeding?” “I wasn’t paying attention.” Not knowing my speed was no excuse. I was responsible for operating my vehicle safely. The officer ticketed me, and I went my way. When I got … Continue reading →
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:19 NIV On a recent trip to the shore with my four-year-old niece, I watched in amusement as she played in a small tidal pool. Again and again, she filled her bucket until she depleted the water supply. In distress, she cried, “Oh no, I have no more water!” I turned her around so she could see the vast ocean before … Continue reading →
Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me, but my Father who sent me. ~Mark 9:37 NLT I was running late and honestly a little agitated that no other volunteers were stepping up. The van ministry was one of“the most important missions of the church—reaching lost kids and families in Jesus’s name. But for weeks and months, I’d asked people to volunteer. No one new would … Continue reading →
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 5:8 NIV Lions are beautiful, agile, and strong, with paws the size of dinner plates. A roar of the lion can be heard up to five miles away. Interestingly, however, the roaring lions are not the most dangerous. Lions roar as a warning to intruders, telling them they are entering claimed territory. Often, this role is delegated … Continue reading →
I’m not talking about that kind of cat call, but the actual cat call to prayer from my formerly stray black cat, who adopted me fifteen years ago. She called me to join her in another room to sit and pray. From the hallway outside my bedroom, a sound like a hoarse, metallic screeching persisted, as if a tiny Pterodactyl summoned me. Then a medium-sized short-haired cat appeared in the doorway, calling me to prayer. My Maddy continued with her … Continue reading →
For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in. ~Matthew 25:35 NASB2020 The Opportunity Presented I hate missed blessings, but deciding when to help is difficult. Are they truly in need? Is it safe for me to engage with them? Are they trying to scam me? I want to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in … Continue reading →
There are practical ways to bless your child. The Personal Sacrifice On your mark. Get set. Bang! After the official pulled the trigger, the runners exploded out of their ready-to-launch positions. Huge clusters of colors began the race together. My son stood among the blur of green, representing his college. It took six laps around the field of my alma mater to complete the 6K race. But for my family, the race was over in twenty-two minutes. Was it worth … Continue reading →
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ~Matthew 7:7-8 NIV With the coming of spring, green grass emerged in our corral once more, and we stopped feeding hay to the livestock. It was time for them to forage for themselves again. Over the winter, … Continue reading →
But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” ~Numbers 11:29 NASB Have you heard about the church that was praying for revival? Many in the church had gotten words from the Lord that revival was coming, and they were excited. But then God brought revival in a church down the street. To make matters worse, it was a church they … Continue reading →
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. ~Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT On the dairy farm where I grew up, I learned the value of a cord of three. We had a couple of apple trees. On one, a swing hung from a sturdy branch. Unlike swings found on modern playgrounds, this one consisted of a wooden board approximately two feet … Continue reading →
