“Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.” Psalms 91:5-7 There are so many things to be afraid of. We can all list the more common fears, those being the dark, spiders, heights, germs, and so many more. Fear can paralyze us sometimes, causing our adrenaline to spike but our bodies to remain frozen.…
“But you, God, break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I’m watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” Psalms 59:8-10 MSG In moments of suffering and struggle, it can be so challenging to declare that we see God working it out – but that is exactly what faith requires of us. Trusting in God won’t always feel like we are on the mountaintop, admiring the view of victory. Rather, it is more often than not us trudging through the mundane and looking up from the valley, desperately searching for the slightest glimmer of hope. There is beauty to be found in our desperation though, and we can take heart in the act of gazing up from the floor of the valley. Psalms 121:1 gives us some great advice “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” You go where you look. So look up today, set your gaze and mind on things above. You can proclaim, even if you don’t necessarily feel the emotion behind it, that God is strong and that He…
Age is a number. That is all. But it is not just years. It’s moments in time—strung together like beads on a string. The string is not endless. It’s just so many mornings and so many evenings—sunrises and sunsets. It’s so many cups of coffee, pieces of toast, slices of pie—just so many egg rolls, enchiladas, and schnitzels. So many miles driven, steps taken, lawns mowed, weeds pulled, pencils pushed, timecards punched, degrees earned, dishes washed, and loads of laundry. It’s a certain number of log ons and log ins—of books read, letters written, conversations held, questions asked … and answered, trips taken, memories made, stories shared, tears shed, and belly laughs. Just so many hugs and so many kisses. So many smiles, pats on the back, pecks on the cheek, and words of affirmation. It’s a specific number—of prayers prayed, sins forgiven, hurts healed, “thank you”s spoken, breaths taken … heart beats. Just so many. It’s a number. When is it enough? When is it ALL? When does it make a WHOLE life? When does the calculator stop, and the totals are final? When does the OS shut down and the screen go black? Age is a number. That…
Have you heard of the “Antiques Roadshow”? My hubby and I try to decide ahead of time if the item that is brought to the appraiser is valuable or not. More often than not, we get it wrong! Sometimes, it’s hard to determine the worth of something without knowing the creator’s name and history. I had a dream a few weeks ago that I had somehow discovered a vase passed down from my mother. In my dream, I was sure that it was a vase from the time of the Ming Dynasty and it would be worth tens of thousands!…
Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals;” and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” (Acts 12:7-8, NKJV) I’m guessing most of us haven’t been physically struck by an angel of the Lord. Imagine the confusion Peter must have felt! But he rallied well, and when the angel released him from his chains and told him to follow, he did. He immediately went to where they were praying for him to tell them what had just happened. Peter didn’t just walk into the house after his release from prison. He had to knock several times before someone answered the door, and he had to identify himself amidst the door answerer’s disbelief. Then, once he was let in, he had to explain how the angel of the Lord had led him out of prison. They had difficulty believing what they were praying for because it came a different way…
He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. (Proverbs 17:9, NKJV) When we love the people in our lives, we will not reveal their transgressions. We will not talk behind their backs gossiping about them with others. The definition of gossip is “idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.” We should not listen to or participate in gossip disguised as “prayer requests” or “prayer updates.” Most of us have heard this or even participated because no one is perfect. It’s important to use discernment to navigate these situations. We shouldn’t ignore or condone wrongdoing either. We can confront others about their behavior lovingly and gently so they can make changes. And in the same manner, we must also be open to correction should someone approach us this way. We all need true, deep, trusting friendships. God made us to enjoy good friendships. It can be hard to trust God if we can’t trust the people around us. When someone confides in us, they trust us with the deepest part of them, and we need to guard that trust as much as possible. If we reach a point…