Rejoice Greatly and Shout for Joy
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy”—Isaiah 35:1(NIV). On a recent afternoon, my two youngest grandchildren were helping me in my yard. Redoing one of the larger flowerbeds in preparation for spring’s arrival on March 20, the three of us spent almost four hours redesigning the shape, pulling weeds, and spreading more soil. Our time together was also filled with joy. As my 15-year-old grandson helped work the soil and reposition the edging, he discovered a …
Seek God When You’re Discouraged
“But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise Him for all that He will do. He is my help! He is my God!—Psalm 42:11 (TLB). I’d started the New Year on a positive note but became discouraged as recovery from my early December surgery seemed to drag on. I was impatient. Upset because I couldn’t yet do the things I’d always taken for granted, I procrastinated when it came to things I could do. My home office, piled high with paperwork, …
Rejoicing When the Lost are Found
“Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not …
Let Your Enthusiasm Fuel Each Day
“He died under God’s judgment against our sins so that he could rescue us from constant falling into sin and make us his very own people, with cleansed hearts and real enthusiasm for doing kind things for others”—Titus 2:14 (TLB). In a recent social media post, an individual shared her story about a 60-year-old woman in the fitness class they both attended. Betty, the oldest woman in the class, would yell, “Woo-hoo,” any time the instructor would up the intensity of an exercise. However, the rest of the class members groaned as the exercises became more challenging. But not Betty. …
There’s Zero Pressure to be Perfect
“I’m not there yet, nor have I become perfect, but I am charging on to gain anything and everything the Anointed One, Jesus, has in store for me—and nothing will stand in my way because He has grabbed me and won’t let me go. Brothers and sisters, as I said, I know I have not arrived; but there’s one thing I am doing: I’m leaving my old life behind, putting everything on the line for this mission”—Philippians 3:11-13 (VOICE). Listening to a local Christian radio station recently, I heard a commentator say: “You’re under zero pressure to be perfect.” I’d …
Keep Your Focus on Jesus in 2025
“Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne– Hebrews 12:1-2(GW). In sixth grade, an eye exam revealed the need for …
Finding Our Spiritual Blessing in Christ
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ”— Ephesians 1:3 (NIV). As I write this post on November 12, I remember how blessed I am. I woke up this morning a year older. Turning 71 is not a big deal for me. I don’t need beautifully wrapped gifts and I don’t anticipate any, but that’s okay. There’s not anything I need. However, it’s a bonus blessing if I do receive something. I’ve had numerous phone calls, text messages, and birthday wishes on …
Humility: The Answer to Beatin’ the Blues
“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others”—Philippians 2:1-4(NIV). If you have the blues, you’re not alone—political discord, wars and rumors of wars, economic issues, job uncertainties, …
Finding Our Strength in Jesus Christ
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”– Philippians 4:13 (NLT). Philippians 4:13 is the first scripture I memorized when I gave my life to Jesus. As a recovering control freak, I thought I could do anything because Jesus was on my side. Pushing forward, I still considered myself in control. I soon learned that some things were not my strength. Two years after retiring from a teaching career, I accepted a part-time job in a doctor’s office. It was during that time that I had a wake-up call. After three months as an insurance claims processor handling data …