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Take Courage
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” A quote attributed to the late John Wayne. And I think from a human perspective, this is absolutely true. Having the courage to move forward regardless of how you feel is a mark of good character. In this respect, taking courage is a discipline that enables one to acknowledge emotion without letting that emotion be the director or motivator of one’s choices. Shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus, His disciples were huddled behind closed doors, in fear for their lives. They were in mourning, and they were in hiding. They did not know what to do next. When Jesus appeared…
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Making Adjustments
As the years go by, the three elements that comprise our being are changed. Our bodies become infirm and are less reliable. Our souls, if we are fortunate, become wise and enduring. And, our spirits, being renewed day by day by the Spirit of God, hopefully become fit for eternity. This is the order and progression of our current state of being in this limited space-time continuum. I believe it is important to understand that I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body. This knowledge is key to keeping things in perspective. First, I am a spiritual being, and consequently my ultimate destination is…
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I’ll Catch You
Trust is a benefit to the one who embraces it. The blind person, trusting his guide dog. The sick person, trusting her caregivers. The child who trusts her father. All these derive a great benefit of peace and confidence and safety in the willingness to trust. Trusting is an act of will that enables the one who trusts to make progress and to thrive in the face of the unknown and the unseen; and, trust and faith are necessary partners because you cannot trust what or who you do not first believe. I remember being a young child at the swimming pool with my father. I was watching other children…
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Let Not…
Is your heart troubled? My guess is that most of us are troubled by a good many things, ranging from personal relationships to global crises. For sure, these issues are important, even significant, and how are we to be relevant and engaged, if we are not troubled in heart by the plight of those around us? Wouldn’t that make us unrealistic and uncaring? In the days leading up to Jesus betrayal and crucifixion, when His disciples were about to face fear and confusion and hopelessness, Jesus said this: “Do not let your heart be troubled….” (John 14:1a NASB) What did He mean by that? Of course they were going to…
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Building Cathedrals
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13 NASB) Most of us are probably very familiar with this chapter in Hebrews, which has been called the Hall of Faith. The written account of some of the men and women of old who served God, obeyed Him, and believed Him. I cannot imagine the grit, the courage, the determined commitment they must have possessed to give their lives for the sake of something they would not witness on this side of heaven. They were called from beyond, and they lived…
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Whom Do You Serve?
Today, our pastor taught from the book of Jeremiah. There was one thing he said that has pierced my heart: “It’s not so much about the evil we face as it is the God we serve.” So I am asking myself, “Where is my focus? What is my priority?” It is easy to get lulled into believing that Earth is my home, but when that happens I am likely to become self-preserving and self-promoting. In the face of all that is going wrong in our society and in our government, it is tempting to focus on keeping the evil at bay. However, this is not my home. I am a…
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Lullaby and Goodnight
We humans need sleep. We were placed here on Earth to live in a rhythm of daylight hours and nighttime hours. And, for most of us, daytime is for working and nighttime is for sleeping. Many studies have been performed on the role that sleeping plays in maintaining the health of our bodies and the activity of our brains. Without getting too technical, basically the end of the matter is that sleep is necessary. We need sleep to rest our muscles and to reboot our personal computers (our brains). So, why is it that we sometimes have emotional baggage tied to feeling tired? It’s as though we are surprised that…
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A Child of God
When I was a little girl, I sometimes got into trouble and was disciplined by my dad. Afterward, he would hold me in his lap and reassure me of his love for me, and then he would pray. Those were intimate moments, in which I felt known and cared for. I never doubted his love for me, and I believed him when he said that it hurt him to have to correct me. Seeing his hurt probably did more to adjust me than the discipline did. I had a fierce devotion to him and have always known his example of fatherhood was the best earthly evidence I would ever have…
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Tell the Story
Here at last. We are on the island for our annual family holiday, and it’s a bit like stepping off a moving sidewalk. Months of planning logistics and then weeks of list-making, food preparations, and the frenzied activity of packing (literally everything but the kitchen sink), all culminating in the sudden stop of arriving. By the time we unpacked yesterday evening, found the most strategic places for beach towels, sunscreen and flip-flops, and rearranged the furniture to suit our taste, we began to unwind, and the last prayer I breathed before drifting off to sleep was, “This is it. The whole week stretching in front of us. Lord, thank you…
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Friendship
A true friend is a priceless treasure. That one who can laugh with you, cry with you, wonder with you, and stick with you in good times and in hard times. That one who is willing to consider your interest above their own. And, of course, you would do the same, because you have learned to value the fellowship and companionship. This kind of relationship does not just happen. It is born out of practical, intentional desire that perseveres and stays the course. I have been privileged to have more than a few such friendships in my life, and this reality continues to be sound evidence that God loves me.…