God is so gracious to have equipped His followers for life on this planet. Not just for existence, but the ability to live in a way that glorifies Him. His Word informs us that He has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness by the power of Christ (2 Peter 1:3). We have the … Read more
I experienced the joy of the Lord at four years old. I was unaware of Scripture like “rejoice always” (1 Thess 5:16) and “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10). I did not know that joy is a distinguishing characteristic of the kingdom of God (Rom 14:17). I did know that I … Read more
I have this theory that God gifted creative people with curiosity. Curiosity appears to energize creativity. If I am doodling, I want to see if I can come close to drawing an object that looks somewhat accurate. I may need to add or delete elements but I might eventually stumble into something that resembles reality. … Read more
King David knew a secret that many of us forget. He was stressed and feeling like a fence about to fall over after hurricane winds. So he talked to himself. David reminded himself of certain truths. In the midst of enemies attempting to dethrone him, he reaffirmed to his entire being who God is. He … Read more
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” are words attributed to Irish novelist, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, in her novel Molly Bawn. “Beautiful!” That word captures our response to a number of different experiences. There are times when that word might pass through our lips as we view a stunning visual like a sunset or … Read more
When I am aware of my emotion and am able to express it, my prayers take on greater impact. I have found the writers of the Psalms to be helpful in expressing my feelings to God. They give me permission. I might even say that they evoke my emotions through the artistic elements of poetry. … Read more
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!Amen. The Doxology erupts from my lips this morning as I reflect on our time together as a church family over the weekend. The Spirit moved in our hearts and minds as we gathered … Read more
I have tried to maintain the ability to “check in” when traveling. I have made contact with individuals through a variety of ways. In high school, I occasionally checked in with my parents by phone from a landline. In college, we contacted other drivers by CB radio as we traveled the interstate. In Europe this … Read more
I took physical training seriously while in high school. Nautilus had just opened up a gym off Midway Road. They were the new, cool thing in weightlifting and offered our high school discounted rates. Their uniqueness was to offer weights on a chain that offered constant resistance, which kept up the resistance through an entire … Read more
We got disappointing news this morning when we found out that our grandson Mason’s heart surgery would be postponed. He arrived at the pre-op appointment with congestion. The medical professionals do not want to go forward with the surgery until he is in his best health. You don’t have to be a dreamer or idealist … Read more