Incense
“Day and night, night and day, let incense arise,Day and night, night and day, let incense arise“ These lyrics were rolling around in me all of Wednesday. When I mentioned this to one of my children, I had to explain what incense was. “It’s a substance you burn for itsContinue Reading
Oxygen
If you’ve ever taken an airplane flight you know that one of the safety announcements is that if you are traveling with a small child and the plane loses pressure, put your own oxygen mask on before helping a child. A few weeks ago one of my older, wiser womenContinue Reading
Surrender
One of the books that impacted my faith walk in my 20’s was Hannah Hurrand’s “Hind’s Feet on High Places.” This allegory outlines the spiritual journey of the main character Much Afraid as she follows the Shepherd (Jesus) with her two guides Sorrow and Suffering. Eventually, she becomes Grace-and-Glory, butContinue Reading
Engulfed
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel say- 2 if the LORD had not been on our sidewhen men attacked us, 3 when their anger flared against us,they would have swallowed us alive; 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waterswould haveContinue Reading
Favor
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8 NIV) Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned…the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes ofContinue Reading
The New Norm
(Originally written in 2009, this is interesting to read again today in 2022.) “I the LORD do not change.” (Malachi 3:6a NIV) “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart andContinue Reading
Trees or forest?
Once a friend asked me how I was. I replied that I’d been having a bit of trouble lately seeing the forest for the trees. I’m a person who, every now and again, has to get up above the trees to see the forest – to get above the individualContinue Reading
Joy!
Be joyful at your Feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. (Deuteronomy 16:14 NIV) For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of yourContinue Reading
Fix
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God ofContinue Reading
Anticipation
Sometimes God answers “yes,” sometimes “no,” and sometimes “wait.” Anticipation. Waiting. Expecting. Hoping. Waiting some more. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV) Prophecies hundreds of years old telling of a coming Messiah. A couple eagerly awaiting the results of aContinue Reading