God Lives Among Us
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs”— Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT). When it rains, it pours. I’m not talking about the rain that pours from the heavens, but the times when it seems like everything goes wrong. In my situation, my desktop computer bit the dust. I have money in savings for times like these. By the time I purchased the necessary replacements, including a new hard drive and …
When the Rain Overflows with God’s Goodness
“Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone”—Zechariah 10:1(NIV). I love the rain, except when it is accompanied by strong winds, lightning, and thunder. Before March 20, 2016, I wasn’t fearful of storms. It was on that day, at exactly 8 p.m., when a tornado hit my house, leaving me fearful of storms. It has taken years to overcome my PTSD. The sun was shining on that March day. I’d just returned from walking my dog when …
Our Redeemer Brings Hope to the Weary
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end. He will stand upon the earth”—Job 19:25 (NIV). After a harsh winter, the sight of a small purple flower poking its head through the still brown leaves of fall brought hope to my weary soul. It was a sign a new season was struggling to emerge, a sign my Redeemer hadn’t forgotten me. Although it has been almost 15 years since I spied that flower on a sunny but chilly Easter afternoon, I recall the joy of spending time with my family. I was hiking with my grandchildren and …
Do You Have a Friendship with God?
“For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son”—Romans 5:10 (NLT). In his book, The Pleasure of His Company: A Journey to Intimate Friendship with God, author and pastor Dutch Sheets opens Chapter 15 with the following statement: “I called myself a Christian for seventeen years before I discovered I could have a truly personal relationship with God. Prior to this, I certainly knew Him as God and I definitely knew Him as my Savior. I didn’t, however, …
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 …