Deeper Reliance After nearly 44 years of marriage trust is what we have. I trust Danny. He’s never done me wrong. He trusts me too. Right now he has to trust me a lot. Decisions, plans and all have to be sorted out. I cannot rely on my own understanding. I need a wisdom beyond self. My emotions may tell me what to do. They certainly want to. But I am looking for a deeper reliance- one I know will turn out right. I’m calling on God. Thankfully I can talk things over with Danny too. …
Faith in the Storm
One day Jesus had had a long day of healing the sick and casting demons out of people. I imagine He was tired and needed to care for Himself for a little while. He told His disciples to “Cross over to the other side of the lake.” Jesus got into the boat to cross the lake with His disciples. In the midst of their journey, a terrible storm came with high waves. Jesus was asleep when the storm approached. Everyone was scared so they woke up Jesus and Jesus asked them a question and then He performed a miracle. …
Trust the Master
“Then Job replied to the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:1-3) Anxiety rises as fear threatens to destroy our hope. We become afraid of an objectionable outcome. We want what we want … without problems … and we want it now. We pray, but fear of the undesirable causes a cold paralysis of our faith and seizes our prayers. Can we …
Dear Younger Me
“If I knew then what I know now…” These wishful words are usually spoken in regret of something we should have done differently. However, we aren’t born with instant knowledge and wisdom. There are those rare people who will heed the advice of someone who has already been down the road. But most of us are experiential learners. We read about someone’s problem and their solution, all the while believing we will obtain different results. Usually, we experience the same failures and pain. We must attend the school of life where experience is the greatest teacher. Looking Forward—No Regrets Mercy …
God’s Protection
Genesis 32:1-2 “So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.” Have you ever heard the expression that God uses the natural to explain the spiritual? If you are in our Wednesday night class you have heard it a lot. Well, here is something that The Lord has shown me today. Yesterday, I had just read in Genesis 32 about Jacob seeing the angels and God said, You are in the presence of angels and Me all the …
Believe It or Not
Limp as a ragdoll and unable to move, I sat in my recliner and planned a bicycle ride. Myasthenia gravis robbed my strength and I was barely able to walk. Yet I believed God promised me one year of Sabbath rest, my personal Jubilee. So I planned a faith ride. On July 10, after exactly one year of severe physical limitations, I straddled my road bike, clipped in my shoes and pedaled seven miles. Are you believing God for things you can accomplish with sufficient effort and discipline? Or are you believing a big God who can do the impossible? …
Battle Plan
About the same time I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, my friend was battling addiction. I sent her scriptures and stood in the gap and prayed, but it was too late. She was in a firestorm and under intense attack. Her only option was duck and cover. Life is a battlefield. If you are not armed, you will be harmed. Prepare in advance. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” HCSB Recognize the enemy of our soul is seeking to destroy us. He …
Talk What You Know
We tend to remember exactly where we were and what we were doing whenever a tragic event occurred. I clearly recall reddish dust on my hands and knees from the elementary school playground where my world forever changed. I was seven years old and lost a tooth. Literally, my tooth fell out then I lost it on the playground. I recruited my fellow second graders to join my search so I would not miss a visit from the tooth fairy. That’s when Angela showed up. She always was the smartest one in the class. She casually broke the news to …
Detours Are Not Always Bad
As I made my way down the street, I came upon a road construction sign. The sign was huge and fluorescent orange; it sure enough got my attention. The words clearly marked: “ROAD CLOSED”. Taking heed to the sign, I momentarily paused trying to decide which direction to take. However, I took a detour to the right and continued to my destination. Why was the road closed? Was the area flooded due to the heavy rains? Could it have been trees that had fallen and blocked the path? I may never know the reason, but the sign was a sure …
Some Heroes of Faith
Day 6 Some Heroes of Faith Already we’ve read that faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen and that by faith God created the heavens and earth. Also we are told by faith the elders obtained a good report. Hebrews 11- 1-3. “By faith Abel made to God a more excellent sacrifice than his brother Cain. By faith Enoch was translated from earth to heaven without undergoing physical death. By faith Noah and his family were spared when God destroyed the earth with a flood. By faith Abraham obeyed God, went to the land of promise, waited …
Praise Him
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 It isn’t a surprise to God. That thing that blind-sided you out of left field, that sudden loss, personal betrayal or financial disaster is not a surprise to God. Your ongoing, seemingly never-to-improve condition, situation or trying relationship is not a surprise to God. Not one crisis or trial that enters our life is a surprise to him. From our earthly perspective we can’t see over the wall that is our difficulty, but he is looking down and sees …
Trust Him
Six Steps to finding God When You’re Living With a Crisis Step 3 Trust Him After three miscarriages, I had to face the fact that I might never become a mother. The first loss was the most shocking and heart-rending, but each successive loss was scarier than the last and at age 33, my biological clock was definitely ticking. Between the first and second miscarriages, I had also moved and found a new church. After the first loss, God provided a “safety net” of friends, co-workers and family who surrounded me with love and prayer. After the second loss …