Faith

This picture is from New Orleans a few years back.

Praying for Houston as they endure the same

devastation, and again for the folks in

Lousiana who are in the path again.

Whenever we find ourselves within the storm, keep the faith and know that the clouds are lined with silver and gold on the other side. For the storm, no matter its force or duration, is only a moment in time.

…so that by them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith. – 1 Timothy 1:18b,19

Observant

Sometimes, we are so caught up in our own storm that we don’t notice the storm of another.

Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.… - Romans 8:5

Lord, your love is eternal. Do not forsake the works of your hands.

Psalm 138:1,2

Honor

God graces us with every moment in life. Where we take them is up to us.


The son honors his father, the slave stands in awe of his master. But if I am indeed father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am indeed master, where is the awe due to me? - Malachi 1:6a

Renewal

Sometimes God’s glory is meant solely for us: for you, for me. When we are striving so hard to do good, seeking opportunities to help others, wondering what our purpose is in life, we need to stop and be aware of those moments that God has set aside solely for us. Glorify His Holy Name, by stopping and taking in His goodness for your own benefit. Allow Him to saturate you with His Glory. In this, you will renew the awe, desire, and the power within you to be ready when He calls you again.

 “Martha, Martha, the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”… - Luke 10:41,42

Duplicity

"I Am, Who I Am”.  God Is, Who Was, and Shall Be. He is the same God no matter who stands before Him. His Truth never fades. God seeks us to be the same; to always stand before Him and our fellow man as the same person. He asks us to peel away our layers of self-doubt, insecurity, and uncertainty. Rather, He calls us to live with conviction and confidence in His Way, unwavering in our belief in Him. When our time with God is spent in humility and a true desire for redemption, He will mold us to stand openly and honestly, always praising His Name and spreading His Truth to everyone in our Path. 

Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” – John 1:48

Endeavor

Whatever task you set out to do, seek first to do God’s Will. Walk in His Presence by making a conscience choice to be with Him. With His Grace within, beside, and throughout, you will find success and your heart will find joy.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. – Colossians 3:2

Influence

Back in more youthful days, I coached my daughters' peewee football cheerleader squad. I made up a cute little cheer perfect for the eight girls on the squad. We did the same cheer for about two years, then moved on as young families do. It was a great surprise several years later, while attending a homecoming at the local high school, I saw "my" cheer being performed by the varsity squad.  The eight girls I had taught had long since graduated, yet the cheer lived on.  I was blessed to see goodness come of a small gesture, but I wonder how often I lost patience, made a rude comment, or any other number of things I may have done in front of those little girls. Had these actions had the same lasting effect as the little good? As we go throughout our day today, let us ask God to guide our actions so that our influence on those around us will glorify His Holy Name.

God, who has saved His whole people, conferring heritage, kingdom, priesthood, and sanctification on all of us, as He has promised in the Law, will surely, as our hope is in Him, be swift to show us mercy and gather us together from everywhere under heaven to the holy place, since he has rescued us from great evils and has purified it.  2 Maccabees 2:17-18

Eclipse

Today, those in our hemisphere  get to experience the solar eclipse. Normally, due to this beautiful phenomenon, we associate the word ‘eclipse’ as light being blocked, and we experience darkness. However, there have been many moments in my life where I have felt the grace of Light stepping in front of my gloom. Whether your moment holds gloom or happiness, let Christ be the light that guides you through, eclipsing your life and bringing you eternal light.

No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory. – Isaiah 60:19

Forgiveness

Sometimes we have problems with dealing with difficult people because we have not forgiven ourselves. Over and over again in Scripture, Jesus demonstrated an ability to focus on the primary purpose of His incarnation: the redemption of the lost. Because of this he was able to look beyond the pettiness, frustration and hurt because His focus was on pleasing God and not humans. (30 Moments Christians Face in the Workplace, Vol. 1). When we find ourselves frustrated because of that difficult person in our lives, it would be good to look within ourselves and see if perhaps we are the ones who could make a change.

And forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors - Matthew 6:12

Peace Bearer

When someone throws a temper, our first gut reaction is to throw one right back at them. Not a pretty scene from all standpoints. As Christians, we have a choice. When we recall the Word of Jesus, we can claim His Spirit and work to react calmly and logically. Regaining self-control helps us to remember that each person is equal in His eyes and each deserves the other's respect. Yes, it is hard to be yelled at and bullied, especially when your honor is at stake, but the purest honor is one of harmony.  Let the sparks between you not be ones of anger, but of love, as you walk in the footsteps of Christ.


You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way. - Ephesians 4:3

Desire

There are many things we want in life, many things we feel we truly deserve. Yet we must remember that it is for God's Kingdom we were created, His Kingdom in which we prosper. Let us contemplate deeply the desires of our hearts and align them with the true desire of The Almighty.

..if not for their own sakes, then at least out of consideration for the covenants made with their ancestors, and because they themselves bore His sacred and majestic name. - 2 Maccabees 8:20

Stand Firm

Sometimes standing up for what we believe in feels as if we have been dropped down into a pit. It can be hard to dig out. Standing firm in these moments strengthens our faith.  Go forth, confident in God's loving promise. He is with us and we will be lifted into His glory.

"You are great O Lord, God of Daniel," he exclaimed, "there is no god but you!" - Daniel 14:42

Being

I have said this many times, but sometimes our journey makes it even more apparent than normal. I am amazed, that in all of God's glory, I am a part of it all.

Look, the heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it. - Deuteronomy 10:14

Wonder

For those who believe, we are not surprised when God does incredible things in our lives; awed and humbled, but not really surprised. Yet, when we see God in those quiet moments: finding Him in a forgiving friend, a compassionate care giver, or the details of science, art, and humanity . . . This is when God reveals His full Grace. This is wonder. Within these moments we find our purpose.

When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah? - 1 Kings 19:13

Darkness

Interesting thing about the dark: it does not seem as dark when you are in it, but when you look at it from far away the absence of light is obvious. When a shadow falls across your day, do not linger; you may grow comfortable here. Looking out into the light, you can step away from darkness.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:2

Goodness

One small moment can send your mood down a sour path. But before you take that step, stop. Ask yourself if it is worth it. Gods glory surrounds us. When we look instead to His goodness, we can fill our journey with joy.


Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Desert

Maneuvering through the desert is harsh on the body, mind, and soul. The terrain feels unending. The sun and heat can be brutal. Native predators lurk near your heals. Even though the temperatures push above 100 degrees, I cover myself with long sleeves, hat, and boots. And . . . what a feeling I get when I step into a shelter; when I can safely pull those layers off and feel the refreshing wind blow across me. Imagine that feeling when you can unveil all of you before God. That moment when you remove all the layers of doubt, pretense, and fear and let His Holy Spirit pour through your soul. Come out of the desert and safely rest in His love and hope.

Behold, you desire true sincerity;

and secretly you teach me wisdom. - Psalm 51:8

Right

I love being right. The problem, though, is that I find it easier to count the number of times I'm right, than those that I'm wrong. Mistakes are a natural human pathway. We have to make them in order to find the truths in life. So; I celebrate the times I'm right as little victories and thank my Creator for His profound patience and love as I navigate the other moments of each day.

Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions - Psalm 51:3

Generous

Our God is generous. He gives to all of those who love Him all that He has to give. Whether we come to know Him in childhood or in our final days; God, because He has always loved us, grants His Beloved eternal life.

And to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ – Matthew 20:4

Altar

In the days of old, it was not uncommon for a man of faith to erect an altar where he encountered the presence of God. Offering physical sacrifices of a living beast would serve as atonement for his sins. Our never-changing God continues to call us to Himself, placing His Presence within our midst in every walk of life by the Power of His Holy Spirit. He calls to us to know Him and to build our own altars; ones of internal and external worship, and the gift He blesses is the offering of our own repentance. For Jesus Christ, sacrificed as the perfect living beast, shed His blood to make us worthy. Let us glorify Him and worship His Holy Name.

I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord – for He proclaims peace to His people, and to His faithful ones, and to those who put in Him there hope. – Psalm 85:9

Good

We try to be good, but the truth be known, no one qualifies. God is good. We can only be good through Him. The task has become a lot easier for us to redeem our bad qualities. Jesus has asked us to follow only one simple and profound rule: to Love. When we love…our God, our neighbors, and ourselves…the rest will become second nature.  We will learn empathy and compassion, and view apathy, idolatry, murder, adultery, thievery, lies, deceit, dishonor, envy, and malice as wrong. When we truly, deeply grow to love our God, we will place Him above all things; above ourselves, above our will.  Then goodness will reign and God’s Kingdom will rule in our lives. 

The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" You have answered correctly, Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”…– Luke 10:27,28

Breath

A cleansing breath calms our spirit, cleanses our system, and refreshes our body. Let us breath in the essence of God, cleanse our thoughts and start anew. The day is calling and God has great plans for us.

After this, I shall pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old people shall dream dreams, and your young people see visions. - Joel 3:1

Propitiate

I had to look up this word: propitiate. Definition: trying to win or regain favor.  What if I believe another should regain ‘my’ favor? What if I’m the one who is constantly hurt? The more we stand our ground in believing we hold more rightfulness than our challenger, the harder our hearts become toward understanding and harmony. God brings strength to those who call on Him. Is it a stronger person who diligently stands her ground; or, she who willingly sets aside feelings of hurt, confusion, doubt, and frustration . . . seeking to forgive . . . and be forgiven? When we take on a spirit of a humble heart, God forgives our hardness from before, and we can once more communicate openly and with love. Only then, can our relationships bloom.

For a sun and shield is the LORD God, bestowing all grace and glory. The LORD withholds no good thing from those who walk without reproach. – Psalm 84:12

Mistakes

“Unghh, so sorry, I did it AGAIN!” The best of us do this. We forget to do something believed important to another; slip back into the same habit; or let our minds wander in studies, meetings, etc., just to name a very few. Moses kept forgetting his vail for his face and continually scared those he loved best. Paul’s zealousness kept landing him in jail. Throughout scripture we see great men and women slip and make a mistake. And, sometimes, what they, or we, do is not necessarily wrong, just not appropriate for the moment . . . and we become frustrated in our humanity . . . and sometimes we hurt those we love. But we must remember, we are human. It is with God’s Grace that we achieve, and with His Grace that we are redeemed. Let Him renew you when you’ve slipped and fill you with the love to make amends with those around you. Let His Grace set you free.

Then the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD. – Exodus 34:35

Small

One of the sweetest memories at the death of my mom, was

the touching compassion of a dear friend who left

bath goodies at my door.  Soaking away my pain touched

mind, body and soul.

The smallest gifts can become the greatest treasures when they are given by the heart.

He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, - Matthew 13:37