Grandchildren Bring Joy to Our Lives
“Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children”— Proverbs 17:6 (NLT). “Ruby, were you trying to paint Harley’s toenails?” “No, Nana.” I struggled to hold back my laughter as Ruby’s blue eyes revealed the truth. Wide-eyed with feigned innocence, she was trying to convince me she had nothing to do with an attempt to paint my dog’s toenails. My four-year-old granddaughter and a friend had been sitting on the patio with my dog. Harley, trying to escape the insult of blue toenails, managed to escape. But the girls couldn’t avoid the friend’s older …
The Most Powerful Thing in the World
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world”— Matthew 5:8 (MSG). Recently I came across an article titled, “10 Of the Most Unexpectedly Powerful Things in The World.” Scanning the article, I was amazed at the information provided by the author. Some of the most powerful things in the world are related to the animal kingdom. I experienced one of the most powerful things in the animal kingdom while on a mission trip to Costa Rica several years ago. Watching ants marching in a line across the …
God Saves Your Tears in His Bottle
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book”—Psalm 56:8 (NLT). For over 10 years, I’ve struggled with dry eyes. The irony of this condition is that tears often run down my cheeks, making others think I’m upset. It can be embarrassing. My optometrist recommended several different lubricating eye drops—some of which have helped. During allergy season, the condition worsens, forcing me to use artificial tears from a bottle more often. While reading Psalm 56:8 recently, I recalled that God records our tears in His …
Set Your Heart on Things Above
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”— Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV). “O Lord,” I cried out, “be with him in this heat. And Lord, if He doesn’t know you personally, please place someone in his path who can lead him to You.” My prayers were for a man who was striding across the bank’s parking lot toward a large grocery store. What stirred my heart to pray for him was the heavy backpack he was toting and the sweat pouring down his face. In my heart, I was almost certain he was homeless. As I drove away from …
When We Don’t Feel Worthy
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created”—Revelation 4:11(NASB). Working at one of our church’s many ministries, I get to meet and assist many people who need our services. At our west campus, we offer a free clothes closet, which gets the most traffic. In addition, we offer other assistance, including providing household goods for those in need of items we often take for granted—silverware, glasses, plates, and other small kitchen items. Recently, a woman requested assistance with …
The World Needs More Audras
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden”—Matthew 5:14 (ESV). Her bright, sequined clothing captured my attention. So did her jewelry. Wrapped around her left arm had to be at least a half-dozen sparkling bracelets. Sitting to my left in church, the girl was seated in a wheelchair. A man, whom I assumed was her father, sat in the pew next to her. During our church’s short meet-and-greet “someone you didn’t come to church with,” I met them. When I walked over to shake their hands, the girl looked down, as if …
When Life Gives You Lemons, Trust His Promises
“Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is the faithful God who for a thousand generations keeps His promises and constantly loves those who love Him and who obey His commands”— Deuteronomy 7:9 (TLB). One of my favorite promises in the Bible is found in John. In Chapter 16, verse 33, Jesus tells His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” At the end of John, chapter 15, Jesus prepares His disciples, predicting both persecution and the …
Shining a Light in a Broken World
“Then Jesus cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness”— John 12:44-46 (NIV). Darkness and evil are rampant in our broken world. Mass shootings. Countries at war. Fractured families. Political division. Without hope, we find it difficult to find our way into the light. But, if we truly believe Jesus is the answer, then why …
Finding Rest for Our Weary Souls
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”— Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV). A conversation with my best friend is always encouraging. She says the same thing about our spiritual discussions. Lately, those discussions have been by phone and text messages. For more than six months, Clarice has been helping to take care of one of her brothers. He is battling pancreatic cancer. Although she’s had help from her …