Everyone has a Story to Share
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality”—Romans 12:13 (NIV). While volunteering at our church’s Amazing Grace free clothes closet, I love interacting with those in need of assistance. I’m often blessed by those who share their story. Stories of struggling to put food on the table, pay for rent, or purchase gas for their vehicle. Some must rely on others to transport them to doctor visits, shopping trips, or even to receive assistance. It can be heartbreaking. Although some of our shoppers have allowed their situations to define their lives, others share their stories of God’s …
Step Out of the Traffic
“Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth . . .‘Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God . . . above everything’”— Psalm 46:8-10 (MSG). Traffic in the community where I live continues to grow. When one of the many trains traveling here daily passes through, traffic comes to a halt. Complaints abound because we experience two different railroad lines interrupting our daily lives. However, I’ve let go of the need to complain about those interruptions. I leave early enough for appointments, and I …
Living an Imperfect, Unfinished Life
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand”— Psalms 16:11 (NIV). A family in our church has had their life upended by an unexpected health issue affecting their youngest son. The health issue is rare, and most don’t survive. Colton has. However, it has left him and his family struggling to overcome the obstacles along the path of recovery. Because I attend a large church with two campuses, I don’t personally know this family. But we’ve connected on social media, and I follow their updates …
God Has Plans for Your Life
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”— Jeremiah 29:11 (TLB). A recent discussion about my former career as an educator led me to share how God had intervened in my choice of college majors. When I first enrolled in 1971, my plans were to major in elementary education. I’ve always enjoyed working with young children. I loved babysitting as a teenager and working in our church’s nursery. However, when I first met with my college advisor, he said, …
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 …