Merciful and Loving God, we come before your throne of mercy and grace, in total awe of your kindness and goodness. The gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ demonstrates for all time the depth, width, breadth, and length of your unfailing love for your children, the sheep of your pasture. Father, today as we celebrate... Continue Reading →
Mom taught me the real message of being a good neighbor, for she loved the Lord, and she took His command to take care of the least among us literally. She did not do it expecting that Jesus was keeping a score sheet and that she would get a bigger crown in Heaven than others. Instead, she lived by the words in James 2: 17-18, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Like David in the 23rd Psalm, I have been blessed amazingly through the years. In his great psalm of praise to the Good Shepherd who provided protection, provision, and prosperity to him, he says, "The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need" (Psalm 23:1). In a world where people seem to never tire of consuming "stuff," it is rare to hear someone say that they have all that they need or want. I am blessed to be one of them, as my cup truly overflows with blessings unimaginable just a few years ago: a caring and loving husband, the self-sufficiency of my children, the ability to fulfill my calling through teaching, and good health.
When I first read the command to love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, I thought I must have the wrong version of the Bible. Someone must have changed some parts of my Bible, because loving someone who causes you pain just did not seem even possible, let alone reasonable. I wanted... Continue Reading →
One of the saddest outcomes in life is to miss fulfilling one's destiny, for the world needs for everyone to complete the assignment they were born to do. I have learned some lessons over my life that I hope will help you reach your destiny a lot faster than I did. Lesson One: Do not... Continue Reading →
Sometimes our hurts, heartbreaks, fears, and frustrations blind us to the positive aspects of our situations and we cannot get past thinking that God is causing us to suffer without offering us help for the journey ahead. Instead, we should take time to reflect on what is good in our lives and how God's hands of mercy and grace may be working for our good, to turn the situation around.
I cannot imagine her pain as she watched her oldest child dying. Truly, as the old apostle, Simeon, had prophesied, it must have felt like a sword was piercing her very soul. In John 19:26-27, John tells us that he was standing at the cross with Jesus' mother, close enough for Jesus to see their... Continue Reading →
The author of Hebrews recommends laying aside all of the weight, including our sins, that encumber us in the race to eternal life. These actions allow us to demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ, whose birth, death, and resurrection is the basis of our faith in God and our belief in a better home to aspire to, one not made by human hands. Stripping off the weight means letting go of our hurts, heartbreaks, and humiliations; our broken dreams, broken hearts, and broken promises; and our fears, failures, and frustrations. This emotional baggage often hinders our faith, and causes us to doubt the One who paid the ultimate price for our redemption.
via Daily Prompt: Loyal Finding real love seemed to be a talent that I did not have. I looked around and saw other women with wonderful husbands, and I wondered what they were doing differently from me. Why did all of my relationships cause me so much emotional and/or physical pain? I finally one day... Continue Reading →
So often when troubles and trials come and seem insurmountable, one of the first things that some people do is succumb to the belief that all is lost. It's easy to do, especially when you cannot see how the situation can end in your favor. But, I am a living witness that when life seems... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 