Heritage & Refuge
Last weekend our entire family traveled to another state to celebrate a milestone birthday for my dad. It was a good trip, although tinged with the reality that he is getting older and slower. Seeing family and friends made for a meaningful weekend, but it has taken me several daysContinue Reading
Even When We Can’t See It
I’ve heard the illustration that life is like a tapestry or a quilt where the backside is a mess – threads everywhere, seemingly just a disorganized chaos. But when you turn it over you see the front side – the beautiful side – the side that tells the story orContinue Reading
Church Division
(this post by Dutch Sheets excerpted from GiveHim15, January 4, 2024) “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in MeContinue Reading
Picking Off
If I had to choose a metaphor for this era of time in our world, I would use that of a storm. Life can feel like we are constantly being tossed about by all the bad news (and there is much!) on top of all the “regular” struggles of life.Continue Reading
Encounter God’s Heart
While [Peter] was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “ This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased and delighted! Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5 AMP) “Listen. “Lean in and incline your ear to your Father’s voice. God fashioned you with theContinue Reading
‘Menē, Menē, Tekēl, Upharsin’
The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And He will be the security and stability of your times,A treasure of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;The fear of the Lord is your treasure. (Psalm 33:5-6 AMP) “Once upon a time” there was a very rich and powerful ancient kingContinue Reading
Happy Endings
The Lord also will be a refuge and a stronghold for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble;And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You. (Psalm 9:9-10Continue Reading
Living out the maxims
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” (Proverbs 4:18-19 NIV) Recently I attended the funeral service for a man I’d never met. His sonContinue Reading
Behold
After taking about 5 weeks off, last week I began another year of reading through the Bible using “The Bible Recap” plan. This year, instead of reading in the New International Version (NIV), which has a very handy audio version, I decided to read in the Amplified Bible (AMP). TheContinue Reading
Laughing and scoffing
I was reading an article entitled “A 2024 Wish List: Sanity at Home and Stability Abroad.”* In this article the author enumerated his list of what needs to happen in the next year, and he closed this list of mostly geo-political items with the following sentence: “May this be aContinue Reading