Category Archives: Uncategorized

Will we have enough money for Christmas? 
Does my hair look all right? 
I hope I don’t lose my job. 
I’m afraid I’m going to get cancer.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything.” I think we too often get this backwards. We worry about everything and hardly pray about anything. It’s no wonder we feel so stressed all the time.

As Erma Bombeck used to say, “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it never gets you anywhere.”

This morning, instead of wasting your time worrying your life away, decide to follow the Apostle Peter’s advice to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7).

In other words, stop rocking and do something that will get you somewhere – Pray!

God bless and have a worry-free day!

I went for a walk this morning with our dog Lily. It’s been a while since we walked together. I’d hurt my left heel and had to lay off my exercise program for several weeks, so our daily walks had to wait.

The great thing about Lily is, she didn’t hold my neglect against me. She didn’t turn her back when I said, “Come on, girl! Let’s walk!” She didn’t stick up her nose at me, because I’d not walked her in a while. No, she was just as eager as ever to be with me. All that mattered to her was I was that I was back.

That’s what real friends are like. It might be years between visits, but when you finally get together again it’s like old times; like you’ve only been apart for a few days, instead of a few decades. The conversation flows, laughter comes easy, and you just feel at home.

God is that kind of friend. Maybe it’s been a long time since you really spent time with Him. It could be your Bible’s been collecting dust on the shelf. Perhaps it’s been awhile since you knelt to pray. All that doesn’t matter, because if you’ll come back to Him today, He’ll welcome you with open arms. Jesus promised in John 6:37 “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

Today, Jesus eagerly holds out His hand to you and says, “Come on! Let’s walk!” Don’t let your past mistakes or neglect of Him hold you back. All that is forgiven. The only thing that matters is you’re back. Take His hand right now and get ready for an adventure! There’s so much He’s been waiting to show you!

As seven year-old Jedrick lies in the hospitable bed, awaiting surgery, his mother gently strokes his hand. Jedrick has needed surgery for a hernia since birth, but medical care was unavailable in his homeland of Venezuela. Finally, in desperation, they joined the thousands of other Venezuelans fleeing to nearby Columbia in hope of finding a better life. Now, thanks to the good men and women of the US Navy hospital ship Comfort, Jedrick is getting the surgery he so desperately needs.

As I watched this story on NBC I was once again overwhelmed by the plight of people like Jedrick and the millions throughout the world who do not have adequate medical care, enough to eat, clean water to drink, or even a safe place to lay their heads.

The needs in this world are overwhelming. I understand how the disciples must have felt when Jesus, feeling compassion for the 5000 people who’d come to hear him speak, said to the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:37 NIV. Their task seemed impossible, just as the task before us seems impossible today.

As we look at the needs around us, God’s command to us in Isaiah 58 seems ridiculous. How are we, with our meager resources, supposed to “loose the chains of injustice…set the oppressed free…share [our] food with the hungry and…provide the poor wanderer with shelter”?

The answer is, we can’t. As Matthew 19:26 reminds us,“With man this is impossible…” but it doesn’t end there. Jesus goes on to say, “…with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26.

In this time of giving, do not let the overwhelming needs around leave you disheartened and discouraged. Instead, give what you can of your time and resources and let God do the rest. Take your “five loaves and two fishes” to Jesus and prepare to be amazed! He will take your meager efforts and multiply them a thousand fold!

But, when this happens, don’t just sit back and watch! The disciples work wasn’t ended when Jesus blessed the food. They still had to hand it out. Likewise, God may multiply your offering, but He still wants you to share it with the world! So, pick up your basket and get to work!

God bless and have a great day!

Do you remember as a child being afraid? Maybe your fear was monsters under your bed, being alone in the dark, or thunder at night. Whatever it was, fear fled away when your mother took you in her arms and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Most of us have outgrown those childhood fears. Unfortunately, we’ve replaced them with new ones. Fear of failure, financial hardship, losing our jobs. Worries about our health or that of those we love.

For many, it is the future which frightens them. They look at world events and are “terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” Luke 21:26 NLT

Yet through it all, as the storms of life rage around us and fears multiple on every side, we need not be afraid. No matter how the winds howl or how the waves crash, we are never alone. Jesus promised long ago, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.

This morning, don’t let fear rule your life any longer. Don’t let the storms of life terrify you or waves of worry overwhelm you. Look up! Jesus comes to you, walking on the waters! Hear His voice today echoing through the tempest’s blast, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” John 6:20

Rest in Christ’s arms today and let “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,…guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) And know this above all else – no matter what, you are loved!

For most things I have a memory like Swiss cheese. Names, dates, faces, they just don’t stick. But there is one thing I’m good at remembering – my past mistakes. Those I cling to, storing them carefully away, only to take them out and let them gnaw at my peace of mind, make me question my faith, disturb my sleep.

In Hebrews 8:12 God promises, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” He In fact, He says, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:12. He promise to “hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19.

We had a dog once who could dive underwater. One time he came up from the bottom of the stream with a rotted, dead fish, in his mouth. My wife screamed, “Eww! Put that back! That’s disgusting!

God must feel that way sometimes. He’s buried my sins in the depths of the sea, but I insist on throwing in a line and dragging them back to the surface, so I can gnaw on them a little more. When I do this I can almost hear God saying, “Put that back! That’s disgusting!”

When it comes to my past mistakes and sins I need a little holy amnesia. I need to believe God when He said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

The past is in the past. We can’t do anything about it. We need to leave it where it lies. We need to follow Paul’s example and, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13 and 14.

This morning, stop dragging your past mistakes up from the depths. God’s forgotten them. So should you. Let the past in the past! God’s got a beautiful future in store for you. So, today, put down your fishing pole, take up your cross, and press on!

I remember hearing the story of a hitchhiker who was offered a ride by a kind, elderly gentleman. As he climbed into the truck, the man noticed he kept his heavy pack on his back. The man said to him, “Why don’t you take that off and throw it in the back?’ The hitchhiker replied, “Oh no, I couldn’t do that. You’ve been so kind to give me a ride. You shouldn’t have to carry my backpack too.”

As silly as this sounds, don’t we often do the same. We accept Jesus as our Savior, but continue to shoulder a heavy burden of guilt, dragging it from place-to-place, groaning under their weight.

Psalm 55:22 tells us, “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.” We do not need to carry the weight of our past mistakes a moment longer. We can lay them at Jesus feet. There is no burden too great for Him to bear, no sin so bad He won’t forgive.

Haven’t you carried your burden of guilt long enough? Give it to Jesus. God promises, “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9. L

This morning, don’t carry your guilt a moment longer. Let Jesus carry it for you. After all that’s why He came, to set you free. Lay it down today and get ready to fly!

God bless and enjoy your day!

The man’s burn was deep, second and third degree, with nerve damage. It was causing considerable pain, but in talking with him I realized he had a much deeper wound on his soul.

As I cleaned the burn he told me of his loneliness, his despair, of a life without friends or hope. Finally, his story spent, he looked at me with eyes which had seen too much and whispered, “I’m just crawling through life till I die.” He was only in his 40’s.

Proverbs 18:14 says, “The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” I see the truth of this verse played out every day in patient after patient. Physical illness can be difficult to handle, but it pales in comparison to the pain of a broken heart, of “a crushed spirit.”

Jesus said He came “that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:3. He promises to be “close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18.

No matter how deep your wound, no matter how crushed your spirit, there is healing to be had in the arms of Jesus. In His presence despair flees away and hope is born. Don’t crawl through life any longer. Take Jesus hand and let Him lift you up. Come to Him today and find out what it means to really live.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16.

Have a wonderful day!

In his book, Thirst, Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water, tells the story of Letikiros, who lived in Meda, a small village in northern Ethiopia. Four days per week this 13 year-old girl would strap a 10 pound clay pot on her back and join the other women of the village on the arduous journey to Arliew Spring, the village’s only source of water. At evening she would stumble home, exhausted, to deliver the precious gift to her family.

One day, alone on the trail, Letikiros apparently stumbled and fell. The clay pot struck the ground and broke, spilling the water. Distraught and ashamed, Letikiros took the rope she used to tie the pot to her back and hung herself from a tree – at thirteen!

As I read this story my heart broke for Letikiros and her family. A thirteen year-old should not have to endure such hardship. Yet, I know there are hundreds of thousands of people who, just like Letikiros, struggle everyday just to survive.

We are so blessed in Western society. Hardship for us is having to wait an extra 5 minutes at the drive-thru. I waste more water on my daily shower than Letikiros was able to carry on her back. I drink water in the morning then her family drank in a day.

This morning, as you turn on your faucet to get a drink of water and as you scrub up in the shower, thank God for the blessing of water. Praise Him for His goodness to you. And remember God gave you all this for a reason. You have been “enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…” 2 Corinthians 9:11.

God has blessed us so we can bless others. We each can make a difference for people like Letikiros. We will never get rid of all the suffering in the world, but if each do our part we can change a life. Please do what you can today.

God bless and have a great day!