There is a hymn which I love entitled “It Is Well With My Soul” written by Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss. From the original lyrics, it is the second stanza which speaks most to my heart:             “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.” Horatio Spafford lost nearly everything.  He was [...]

Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood…but against the rulers…the authorities…the powers of dark…and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  So, the battles we have with others and the actions we let consume us should not be where our energy and focus go.  We should set our minds on things above, on the spiritual battle raging between good and evil in the heavenly realms. This is [...]

One amazingly cool thing about God is His willingness to forgive us of our sins.  Not only is He willing to forgive us, He calls us to Him for the very purpose of redemption. When we turn to our Heavenly Father with a contrite and repentant heart, He honors us by wiping our slate clean.  Isaiah 44:22 says, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, [...]

I grew up in a home filled with clutter.  The home of a hoarder.  I have struggled for years to understand the thinking behind the need to hoard things.  I still do not fully comprehend the need to hang on to seemingly useless items.  I am, however, beginning to empathize with the hoarder I grew up with. As a Christian friend and mentor recently pointed out to me, I do not save “things”, per se, but [...]

You know the old saying, “friends may come, and friends may go” …but, there is One Who never leaves us.  One Who longs for us to draw near to Him and confide in Him.  Our Heavenly Father calls out to each one of us to turn to Him.  Jesus longs for us to talk with Him and to fully place our trust in Him. Psalm 27:7-9,11 (NLT) states in part, “Hear me as I pray, O [...]

A very dear friend of mine recently prayed that God would free me from the filter of past hurts. She prayed that Jesus would heal me from wounds made by individuals I had once trusted and that I would no longer view myself through the eyes of anyone but my Heavenly Father. My friend is very wise and knows me well; she knows the rejection of my past and the pain which went with it.  She [...]

When my son was not quite two years old, he was diagnosed with autism.  I will never forget that doctor visit and the sterile-sounding words the physician spoke.  The dream I held for my son’s future stopped in that moment.  I felt as though I had been punched in the stomach; unable to breathe. I was angry at God for a very long time.  I blamed Him for this seemingly unfair situation.  I turned away from [...]

I like to be right.  I want my thoughts and words to be acknowledged as the undisputed truth.   The reality is that in wanting to be right I am often so incredibly wrong.  Can you relate to this as well? Is having to be right demonstrating God’s love? Is being right indicative of a love which, as Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, is abounding more and more in knowledge and depth of insight?  The questions [...]

“Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you [and approved of you as my chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]”Jeremiah 1:4-5a AMP Jeremiah was chosen by God before time began to be a prophet, an instrument of God, who would profess God’s message to the people of Judah.  The Hebrew word used in Jeremiah 1:5 [...]

It is easy to say, “The devil made me do it” when we choose to sin.  But let us not give Satan credit where it is not due.  With full knowledge and, dare I say, the “allowance” of God, Satan absolutely tempts each one of us.  It is, however, our ultimate decision which leads us down a path of victory or sin.  And, praise God, His Word says He will “always provide the way out”; we [...]

One of the greatest memories of my athletic career is from 1987 when our Class B high school beat one of our state’s Class A powerhouses in girls’ basketball.  We won that game by only three points. We didn’t win a trophy or a medal.   We didn’t even make it to state playoffs that year, but we beat this one unbeatable team. At the time, it was my greatest achievement.  I would “forever” be known as a [...]

Tonight, at Bible study some of the women were discussing God’s greatness in His creation.  They commented on the awesomeness of tonight’s moon and the vastness of the stars in the sky. One of the women remarked how her thoughts were focused on the day’s problems until she looked up and saw the full moon beginning its ascent.  In that moment God grabbed her attention through His glorious creation. The problem thoughts were less as God’s [...]

I am ashamed to say that I have not always been a friend.  I have been, at times, critical and have judged others who I thought were not worth my time or energy.  I don’t think it’s possible to have close friendships with everyone we meet, but I do believe Jesus’ example in Scripture clearly points us toward being “friendly” to others.  His Word speaks to us of loving others as He loves us. I have [...]

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15 Life moves forward a hundred miles an hour.  We have family commitments, work responsibilities, places to be, things to do and money to earn.  But when do we rest? When do we sit in quietness and trust in the Lord and His strength? If [...]

Have you ever gotten bogged down by the thought of keeping all the laws handed down to us in Old Testament Scripture?  Who of us could even come close to such a difficult task?  And, aren’t we as Christians free from that requirement anyway? Not free from avoiding sin, but free from the legalism of trying to keep all the laws which no human possibly can. As with all Scripture, the law mentioned in the Old [...]

The first time I read Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart”, I thought, “WOW! I just need to ask God for whatever I want and (because I am a good person) he will give me whatever my little heart desires”.  Um, not quite. While I certainly believe God can, will, and does give us things we ask for (according to HIS will), I have come [...]

I strongly dislike politics.  It is not necessarily the politicians I dislike as much as it is the personal and bi-partisan bashing that occurs ad nauseum.  It is difficult to know the truth through all the bickering and name calling. Even though I dislike politics and dread election years because of the negativity of mainstream media, I know it is both a privilege and an honor to vote.  Having the opportunity to select the candidate of [...]

We get caught up in the moments of life.   A terminal illness, elderly parents needing assistance, an unexpected death, conflict in the home or workplace.  The list goes on and on.  If we let them, these situations could quickly overwhelm our intellects and our emotions.  We could easily give up, throw in the towel, hoist the white flag of surrender. But the good news is, we do not have to become overwhelmed.  We do not have [...]

Sometimes life trips us up.  We are cruising along seemingly carefree and then wham, from out of nowhere we are blind-sided.  These moments present themselves in many ways.  The car breaks down and so does the washing machine.  Situations arise at home or at work bringing fear and strife into our relationships; both personal and professional.  We lose a child.  We lose a spouse.  We lose a job.  We are bullied and harassed, and we do [...]

My grandma could bake.  I remember watching as she made a pie crust from scratch.  It looked so effortless; she rarely measured the ingredients. She taught me how to make many things over the years.  Though my grandmother did not need to look at her recipe cards or measure the ingredients, I am grateful she had those recipes written down.  I didn’t realize until my grandma was gone that I needed her written words to follow [...]

Are you someone who never misses Sunday service? Do you regularly listen to praise and worship music? Do you gather with other Christians?  Do you make prayer and reading the Word of God a priority?  Each of these things are great ways to fill us with the love of God and the fellowship of the family of Christ; to make us “fat” in our knowledge of the Lord.  But what would it look like if we [...]

Would we choose a job for which our wage was less than we deserved?  Most likely not.  Would we consider a job where on our very first day we were granted the greatest gift ever imagined?  Of course we would! This is the difference between choosing the path of sin or receiving eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Sin will always give us less than we deserve because it keeps us separated from God and His desire [...]

Without giving the enemy too much credit, it is my belief that one of his primary objectives is to keep us focused on our shame and guilt surrounding sin in our life.  The enemy tempts us in ways we sometimes choose to follow causing us to become wayward sons and daughters.  Jesus, on the other hand, stands ready and willing to freely offer us His Way.  The better Way.  It is only by the profound Grace [...]

Each of us has been given a gift from God; maybe even more than one gift.  God doesn’t make mistakes in handing out gifts, nor does He revoke the gifts He has given.  (Romans 11:29) It took me a long time to accept the gift God has given me, which is to write, but I can tell you without a doubt that when I write I have a sense of purpose and joy. The more I [...]

I love coffee.  I cannot function well without it every morning. The first thing I do when I wake up each day is turn on my coffee maker and fill my favorite mug. Then I refill that mug because I need it to keep me going through the day.   It is such an easy thing to do because it has become a habit.  Without my daily coffee I am exhausted, sluggish, and drained of energy. Why [...]

I was reading in Galatians today and I had this image come to mind.  I was in a banquet hall and there was food on both sides of the room.  On the right was a beautiful arrangement of ripe fruits, crisp red apples, fresh watermelon and cantaloupe, green and red grapes, kiwi, strawberry and pineapple.  The fruit on this table was sweet, delicious and never ending. This represented the fruit of the Spirit and Its live-giving [...]

Peter and the other disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.  They were being buffeted by wind and waves when they saw a man walking upon the water.  At first, they were afraid. The Man said to them, “Do not be afraid, it is I”.  Peter stood and asked the Man to prove that He was Jesus and to command Peter to also walk upon the water.  Jesus told Peter to come. I [...]

Philippians chapter one verse 15 says, “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill”. The Apostle Paul was not naïve.  He knew that there were people who preached the Gospel of Christ with the intent of causing him more trouble while he was imprisoned.  However, Paul also knew that some preached the Gospel to further his work while he was in chains.  Whatever the motive behind Christ’s [...]

The prayers of the righteous have power to move the army of the Lord forward in the spiritual war that is going on all around us.  Picture what we might see if God removed our blinders and we saw the actual battle. I imagine the army of the Lord glowing and on white horses while Satan’s minions are dark and upon black horses.  There is clashing of metal as sword meets shield; celestial bodies strewn about.  [...]

Every day we have multiple opportunities where we can choose to obey or to disobey God.  It could be as simple as returning money to the cashier who gave us too much change or as difficult as forgiving, again, the person who hurt us. When faced with such opportunities do we choose obedience or disobedience? What is it that drives our decisions? Obedience comes from a heart compelled by love.  Obedience takes positive action to show [...]

“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us”. 1 John 3:23 Believing in the name of Jesus Christ seems easy enough for those of us who call ourselves Christians.  But, what about the rest of this verse?  Love one another?  Therein lies the rub.  I can love “some” people easily, my husband, my children, my closest friends.  But what about [...]

Today I celebrate the birthday of a dear friend.  I haven’t known her long, but I will know her eternally.  From the very beginning she has been the Proverbs 27:17 kind of friend.  She challenges me to get into the Word of God.  She encourages me when I share my dreams with her.  She is the most amazing listener and provides words of wisdom from her heart.  This friend is iron to my iron; she sharpens [...]

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.” Luke 17:1 How we act and what we say in the presence of others can be powerful.  Are we doing and saying things which bring glory to God? Do our actions and words line up with our beliefs? Would people know us as Christians the first time we meet?  It is our responsibility [...]

A sheepfold is a pen built to provide protection for sheep from thieves and predators.  Sometimes multiple herds of sheep are brought into the fold at one time.  There is a doorway or gate to enter the sheepfold, and it is here that the shepherd lays to provide protection for his sheep.  It is also through the gate that the shepherd will lead his flock out to pasture.  The sheepfold provides protection, especially at night, from [...]

Sometimes I read Scripture, and the imagery brought to my mind is so vivid and clear it is as though I see myself in the stories being told.  What an amazing and awesome experience it would have been to follow Jesus while he walked this earth. One chapter of Scripture I recently read was in Acts.  In Acts chapter two Luke writes about the day of Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured [...]

Today I came across the same Scripture verse in two of my morning devotionals, John 7:38.  I do not believe in coincidence, so I took some time to study the surrounding verses, as well as commentaries on these verses.  I prayed for the words to write so I could explain how this verse spoke to me; perhaps in a way in which you can also relate. John 7:38 is Jesus speaking as He says, “Whoever believes [...]

Titus 3:3-5 (NLT) states, “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient.  We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures.  Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.  But, when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and a new life through [...]

A little more than a year ago I was struggling at work.  I had been in the same department for 20 years and it was time for a change.  A few positions opened which piqued my interest, so I applied.  After interviewing for two of the jobs which I thought I would have been a shoo-in for, I was disappointed to learn that the positions were offered to others. I started to focus on my feelings [...]

I was experiencing self-pity this week.  I felt lonely and wanted someone to talk to and to spend time with.  My husband and I work opposite hours and time together can quickly get away from us.  I tried to make time with a friend, but we had conflicting schedules.  I spent more time alone this week than I usually do. It made me preoccupied with myself and my feelings.  Instead of using my “alone time” to [...]

Most of us would agree that we receive Spiritual healing when we seek forgiveness and are reconciled to our Heavenly Father through the saving blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  What about other manifestations of healing?  Do we receive emotional and mental healing?  How about healing and restoration of severed relationships?  Are we healed physically through forgiveness and reconciliation?  As the Word of God says in Isaiah 53:5 (AMP), “But He was wounded for our transgressions, [...]

Before accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior my decisions were dictated primarily by my soul (i.e., my psyche; my mind, will and emotions).  If I “felt like” doing something to make myself happy I would do it without concern for others.   I would choose to do things that I thought made me happy but in reality, did not, even to the detriment of my body.  As an example, going out and getting drunk and [...]

Hotchy potchy was my grandmother’s made-up creation.  It was nothing fancy, but I loved to eat it.  The meal consisted of eggs over easy and homemade fried potatoes.  Oh, and the name came from mixing those two foods together in a big, hotchy potchy mess on my plate.  If the friends of my youth only knew what they were missing out on!  My adulthood friend, Mary, remembers me telling her about hotchy potchy.  She laughingly jokes [...]

I am certain that the shed blood of Jesus Christ upon the cross at Calvary has cleansed me of all sin; past, present, and future.  I believe that there is no one who can take away the salvation provided to me by Christ’s sacrifice.  I know that God has justified me not because of anything I have done, but because of His Grace and His Mercy freely poured out through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I [...]

Proverbs 27:19 says, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person”.  I have wasted years of my life hiding my heart’s reflection.  Was it fear?  Was it embarrassment?  Was it “no one here gets me”?  I think at times it was all these things. I believe that I am a likable person.  I think I am funny and can get along with most people.  I “know” many people, but I [...]

The New Testament book of Hebrews says that the Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword.  With its God cuts to the heart of man and lays bare what lies inside…the good and the bad.  With it the faithful receive saving grace and the wicked their destruction.  There is no thought, no intention and no desire that remains secret. So, why do we fight so hard, at times, against a God Who knows us [...]

When a light shines it radiates out in every direction moving in a straight line.  But, when a solid, opaque object stands in the way of a beam of light a shadow forms behind the object.  The light is blocked and no longer shines beyond the object in its path. The Bible says that Christians are to let their light shine before others so they will see our good deeds and thus glorify our Heavenly Father [...]

“Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” James 1:23-24 NIV There is a medical condition called mirror image agnosia in which an individual looks at himself in a mirror but cannot recognize that the image is, in fact, him.  How challenging would that be for [...]

I was recently asked to forgive someone.  I said to her that I did not think forgiveness was necessary, but I accepted her request and extended my forgiveness.  At the time I could not quite put into words “why” I felt forgiveness was not required, but tonight I read a devotional which has helped me formulate my thoughts. In the devotional it talked about the difference between being wounded and being wronged.  To be wounded is [...]

Deception is Satan’s main motive in trying to accuse those who belong to the family of Christ.  Satan takes no greater pleasure than when he whispers lies to us attempting to lead us to doubt ourselves, our calling, or our decisions.  In John 8:44b (NLT) Jesus says of Satan, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar [...]

When I am hurt my human instinct is to avenge myself and how I am feeling.  I want to seek justice, my own vengeful justice.  I want the person who hurt me to experience some of the same. The bottom line is, hurt people hurt people. I know that the Word commands me to leave vengeance to God alone.  Romans 12:19 states, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for [...]

For a few days I have felt exhausted and full of self-pity and doubt.  I felt as though I was being led by God and doing the work He has called me to do when suddenly I was overcome by fatigue.  I wanted nothing to do with others; I did not want to encourage them or pray for them or really even be around them.  This is not who I normally am. So, I took a [...]

Many of us have tried dieting, right? One diet involves receiving a balance of points to start each new day. That seems generous. We do nothing except wake up and find we have been given a new surplus of points. Pretty neat until we use up all those fresh points as we consume food throughout the day. We can, of course, earn more points if we choose to exercise. We must work for it, though. God’s [...]

How do we get through the trials in our lives? As followers of Christ, we know the right answer is, “through faith.” Seems easy enough. Even the Word of God says in Luke 17:6 that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed. According to the Logos Bible Software (https://www.logos.com) and its references therein, “even a small amount of true faith in God is incredibly powerful and can lead to significant spiritual growth, divine [...]