Give Him the Gift of Gratitude
“But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God” (Luke 17:15 CSB). **(The following is a fictitious rendering of Luke 17:11-19–The Story of the Ten Lepers.)** Imagine. You’ve been banished from your community. Separated from…
Recipe for Turning Grumbles to Gratitude!
Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good (Psalm 106:1a NRSV). What should have been a lovely autumn morning began with grumbles. Trying to get out the door for a family outing to Sky Top Apple Orchard, I quickly swept…
Godnections–Part 2
***(This was published first on Facebook, with only several omissions and / or additions. The formatting is a bit off here, though I don’t know why. I apologize for that.)*** ********** I recently had the privilege of spending some quality time with a dear friend….
Trust Me!
(***Read to the end for a special announcement.***) “Then God said, “Take your son… whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you” (Genesis 22:2 NIV). “All I want for Christmas is a…
Colorful Connections–A New Release Worth Reading
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18 NIV). The wide-eyed child stood at my kitchen door, her mama–my neighbor and friend Ms. Martha–beside her, holding her hand. “Mrs. Miller,” the…
Benjamin’s Song
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14b NIV). ***The following is a fictitious story based on Mark’s biblical account. What is true, however, is our Savior’s love for…
Leadership Lessons Along the Trail
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (I Timothy 4:12 NIV). Sometimes one learns lessons in the most unlikely of places. We recently…
Full-Circle Moments
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV). Lately, I’ve been pondering full-circle moments, as I see each as an opportunity to acknowledge, despite all life’s twists and turns, that we’re right where God intended, rooted in…
I Love Jesus, But…
Yesterday as I drove our daughter to school in fog thick as pea soup, someone zoomed past me. A bit startled (he came out of nowhere), I looked to my left just in time to see a small white truck barreling down the two-lane road,…
Broken Crayons
“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:17 NIV). ***Today is the one year anniversary of the Abbey Gate tragedy in Kabul. We will not forget.*** ******* My little friend sat at the…