“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, NKJV) We are often only vaguely aware of innate spiritual yearnings and cravings within us. Yet, if…
“They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:10). “I want. I want. I need. I need. There are so many things I want and need.” That little ditty is comical but true. We want it all. From the beginning, God promised good things to those…
“Whatsoever things are true… whatsoever things are lovely.” (Philippians 4:8) Some of the most formative and imaginative moments of my childhood took place in the prayer room at our church. Before every service, my parents made it a habit to spend time in prayer before entering the sanctuary. As a…
Today, as my daughter Hayden and I worked together in our flower garden, God gently reminded me of a beautiful truth: our gardens often reflect our spiritual lives. As I worked among the flowers, I noticed that many of the plants that looked identical when first planted had grown quite…
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. (Psalm 16:6, KJV) One weekend, I was helping my daughter-in-law decorate the new home she and my son had recently purchased. She had sewn several beautiful table runners, but she wasn’t satisfied with them because…
While helping an elderly uncle sort through a lifetime of accumulated belongings, I came across a small cloth box tucked away among the many possessions. A simple label on the outside caught my attention: “Jewels.” I paused. Truthfully, I felt a little uncomfortable opening it. The box had belonged to…
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” (Psalm 37:23) “You won’t have any problems,” he said, “but just in case, this is what you need to do.” I am so thankful I paid attention to the words that followed. It was the last day of our…
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64.8 For the past few days, we have considered women in the Bible who found themselves broken in body, mind, or spirit. The Lord…
“And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.” I…