Posts with the tag “love”

Need a pick me up or a boost to keep going? We can all use some good thoughts, some positive affirmations and a few “lift me ups.” In a conversation with a friend the other day, she was listing down all the crazy situations she was facing in her life. One thing after another came racing out of her mouth. When she finally took a deep breath, she said, “Is there anything positive ever going to happe...  Read More

There are days when we wish we could run to a place of safety, away from the troubles of life and the arrows of the enemy. We do get weary of the pandemic, “breaking news,” and opinions passed off as truth. It would be so easy to throw up our hands in utter hopelessness. But praise God for our refuge. That place of peace, comfort and wisdom. That place where we hear a voice of love, kindness and g...  Read More

“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; but the people there did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.” Luke 9:51-53Sometimes you run across a word you don’t hear much, but has such deep meaning. That happened when I came across ...  Read More

Alicia was such an interesting person, a great friend and a wonderful daughter. Everywhere she went she brought a smile and kind word. Her co-workers looked to her for encouragement and she made the workplace sane. Her two best friends loved hanging out with her because she was so full of fun and laughter. Alicia’s family got excited every time she visited. She was the red shiny apple of the famil...  Read More

Have you ever been so sad and confused over something that you found it hard to move forward another day? Some of us may feel that way because of the issues COVID-19 has brought. Some of us may feel that way because we’ve had a defining life event that was so hurtful. Some of us may identify because we’ve lost something or someone so suddenly.Imagine you are one of Jesus’ disciples and it’s the da...  Read More

There was a time in our history, when a man or woman’s word was bond. Words were important and not thrown around without integrity and truth. If he or she said it, you could believe it. They stood by their word. If a person broke his or her word or promise, it would cause others to lose faith and trust in whatever that person said going forward. Character was important.Many contracts and bonds wer...  Read More

How do you see Jesus? Is He your 911 call when you’ve exhausted all options? Is He your quick fix at the moment? Or is He your “go to” for life whether you are in the midst of the good or the bad? How you see Jesus actually determines what shape your heart is in.You can tell what shape your heart is in by the words that come out of your mouth. Those words connect with your actions. Unfortunately, ...  Read More

When we were kids, we loved a big downpour of rain in the summer because after the storm, we could run out and jump in the puddles. It was even more fun to walk along the curb in the water as it rushed down the street. Because I was Miss Don’t Want To Get Dirty, I would put my old sneakers on instead of going barefoot. Once we were done, I would walk home with squishy shoes, water just teeming out...  Read More

Do you remember the story of the Invisible Man? He could walk through a room and unless he had on a piece of clothing, you wouldn’t know he was there. He used his invisible ability to do good and solve mysteries. Unless you knew him, you found it highly impossible to believe anyone could be invisible. It’s hard to believe in what you can’t see.Many go through life demanding an explanation for thin...  Read More

Throughout the Old and New Testament, you’ll find many references to fire and the altar. God was the Fire in the burning bush and the Fire that led the Israelites at night to the Promised Land. Fire from heaven consumed altars laden with offerings to the Lord for sin. Tongues of fire came down from heaven upon Jesus’ followers when the Holy Spirit descended after His resurrection.Noah built the fi...  Read More

We’ve been in the midst of a pandemic for over a year now. Our finances have been affected, our jobs have been impacted and our ability to move about freely has nearly evaporated. We’ve all experienced what I call “COVID brain.” Whether we realize it or not, our minds have been scrambled by the lock downs and the new way of living. This season has reignited loneliness, anger, depression, disappoin...  Read More

We’ve talked about the love the Lord has for us and the love we should have for Him; however, we cannot talk about love and ignore the other of the two commandments Jesus gave us: love your neighbor as you love yourself. If ever we need to heed those words, it is now. Facing bitter divisions within our country, our families and our neighbors, it’s time for us to return to His ways. He did not say ...  Read More

Reading my one year Bible, I came across the story of Moses’ encounters with God on Mount Sinai when the Israelites were heading to the Promised Land. What is so beautiful about this story is to hear straight from the lips of the Lord how much He loves us, even when we don’t  deserve it. This story reveals His heart toward His people.Moses made two famous trips up Mount Sinai to meet with the Lord...  Read More

We are walking into the Love Weekend! For those of you who may need a reminder, Valentine’s Day is Sunday. How appropriate that we would talk about love on the very day we celebrate Jesus.There are so many stories in the Bible about God’s love and the love of Jesus. I like to think of the Bible as God’s love letter to us because it is filled with His declarations of love for us and the extent He i...  Read More

There’s a game I just loved to play called, “The Game of Life.” It’s a board game with little cars that you put stick people in and you go around the board of life. You may pick up a kid or two, a house and more, but the game is supposed to be fun as you go through the ups and downs of life. My favorite part was yelling, “Your move!” because I wanted to play the game fast and win.The game takes yo...  Read More

Every day we look for some sign of peace and unity for our country, our families and for us. What we’ve found is that we actually have to search for it or intentionally seek it because it doesn’t seem to come easy or naturally these days. Or so it seems. We are reminded, though, of that great feeling of peace when we see doves hovering nearby. For ages, they have been associated with peace, and th...  Read More

Have you ever had a dream that you dream over and over? I did. My dream started when I was four years old and it didn’t end until I was eighteen. That’s right! I dreamed this same dream for fourteen years. It was always the same and it evoked the same feelings every time. Sometimes, we have to experience something several times over before we finally get the point and make a move.In my dream I was...  Read More

Sometimes it’s the small things that mean so much. There’s a saying, “Small things come in big packages.” Well, think of your day as a big package. What small things bring you joy in your day? For me, it’s that first sip of coffee. I look forward to it as it flows over my taste buds and I get to savor the flavor. You know you can meet the day because of that first cup of coffee (or tea). All it to...  Read More

It can be so easy to feel broken by all the unrest, sickness and death surrounding us right now. We are walking in unprecedented times and we need unprecedented solutions. Those can only come through the Hope of our salvation, Jesus. In the midst of it all, His victory is our victory. But to be victorious, we must not walk in fear, but in confidence knowing that He is with us. This week, join us a...  Read More

It’s been quite a week! Coronavirus rising and the number of deaths climbing. We watched uncontrolled anger and frustration turn into an assault on our Capital. We witnessed government officials rise above the chaos to keep our republic moving smoothly. We continued to feel the impact of the virus on our finances, our minds, and our ability to live normally. And we are dealing with everyday trials...  Read More

We all have something we just love, something we can’t get enough of. It can be anything or anyone. Some of us can’t live without specific foods like ice cream or for me, potatoes. I hear you laughing. There was a time I couldn’t get enough of them anyway you cooked them.There’s a big difference, however, between loving something like potatoes and being addicted to something. Addiction is being co...  Read More

It’s time to focus and block out all the negative voices that tell us what we can’t do. This is the year of “can do.” We’ve been whipsawed, spun around and put on a never ending roller coaster, but it’s time to shake it all off. We are no longer at the whim of every theory, opinion, or untruth. Our eyes are laser focused on Jesus, the lifter of our heads.Dig deep, my friends, and dust off your con...  Read More

About now, you may be thinking of what your New Year’s resolutions should be. With 2020 almost finished, this is the time we think forward and hope for a better future. It’s time to tuck away this year and get optimism charged up for 2021.I’m going to challenge you to do something a little different this year. We are not going into the new year in a “normal” way since we are still in the midst of ...  Read More

We have come to the end of 2020. I can hear many of you saying that it couldn’t come too soon.  What a year it has been. We didn’t know how many changes we would have to adapt to or how many things we would end up missing. My mom used to say, “You never miss your water until the well runs dry.” The well ran dry and we have a long list of things we won’t take for granted in the future. In many ways...  Read More

This devotion is dedicated to Kim who has battled major health issues, but who through her faith and the grace of God, has just completed a successful surgery. Kim, we love you and we surround you with our prayers.Could you use a little love right about now? I think we all could. It’s been a tough year for many, and some are still going through trying times. When you find yourself being bombarded ...  Read More

Each year at this time, we turn into caring, kind and giving people. For whatever reason, Christmas causes us to be more forgiving and we look for opportunities to share what we have with others. We suddenly overlook things that caused dissension during the year to give each other a pass. As a result, we are closest to what God wants us to be at Christmas.As you read Edgar Guest’s poem, “At Christ...  Read More

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain no...  Read More

This is the time of year when Christmas lists are made, hints are dropped and commercials never seem to end. If you have kids or grandkids, they can’t wait to give you their lists of what they just can’t do without. But this is 2020 and for the first time, we will experience Christmas during a pandemic. How different the lists may be this year. What’s on your Christmas list?If you’re having troubl...  Read More

“A voice came from  the cloud, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him.’”Luke 9:35Have you ever wondered why God gave us two ears and one mouth? Perhaps He was trying to tell us something—listening is more important than talking. There is an art to listening. You actually have to choose to listen and that means paying attention. That means you can’t talk and listen at the same t...  Read More

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