Small Potatoes?!?!?!

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. II Corinthians 4:17 I believe Paul is talking about persecution here, which is … Continue reading Small Potatoes?!?!?!

You Are What You Eat

But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 Recently, I took Ding Dongs to work for a treat for the children. Before serving them though I tried to explain the statement – you are what you eat. They were nodding their heads up and down as I told of the reasons that eating healthy foods can fuel our bodies better than sugary, unhealthy foods. I explained that like a car that needs gas to keep going our bodies need fuel … Continue reading You Are What You Eat

Solid Rock

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; Psalm 18:2 My hope is built on nothing lessthan Jesus’ blood and righteousness.I dare not trust the sweetest frame,but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand;all other ground is sinking sand,all other ground is sinking sand. We have been singing this hymn at church lately and it’s a good thing for me that we have. With these reports from the doctors coming in about the cancer in my husband’s body, I found myself getting into despair when the report was bad and feeling relief and … Continue reading Solid Rock

Red Roses

Our son John came running in the house all excited. He had been preparing the garden for the upcoming Montana winter. He started telling me what he and his father had done in the garden and then he said what he wanted to plant next spring. “Roses,” he said. I asked what color and he said red. He was seven years old. He and his father worked in the garden almost every evening and every evening our John was full of excitement about next spring’s planting. It was always something different when I asked what he wanted to plant. I … Continue reading Red Roses

The Table is Set

  Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Psalm 23:5 God has prepared a table that is laden with everything we have inherited through Christ—every spiritual blessing, every physical blessing, every weapon we will ever need, every provision we will ever need.  All there—laid out for us when we are in the presence of our enemies. The God who spoke this world into existence and created the many species and ecosystems, and gave each exactly what they needed—not only for survival, but also to work in relation to other ecosystems for mutual survival, prepared … Continue reading The Table is Set

Free Access

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 A little girl that I work with is incredibly shy. When she wants to ask me for something, she generally gets her big sister to do the asking for her. I encourage her to come to me herself but she will not. I have been kind to her. I have not done anything to cause her to be afraid to approach me and ask for what she wants – but still, she hesitates. I … Continue reading Free Access

Handle With Care

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Psalm 18:21 Sometimes, the words float through my mind as though they were spoken just yesterday. “Why can’t you be more like…?” “You don’t deserve to draw air.” “You are just wasting space on this earth.” These words were spoken over me numerous times by people who were supposed to love me. Because I thought they loved me, I believed the words. I know differently now. When those words come back to haunt me, I have to remember that someone who really loves me spoke different words over me. Words … Continue reading Handle With Care

Son of Righteousness

But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. Malachi 4:2 I live in the Pacific Northwest.  We get a lot of rain but when the sun comes out, we welcome the rays.   Spring here is a mix of rain and sunshine. The sun touches the earth and colors start springing up everywhere.  Gorgeous flowers, vines and trees, all coming to life under the wings of the sun.  Just as the sun touches our earth and brings life, … Continue reading Son of Righteousness

Anger Issues

God said, “What do you have to be angry about?” Jonah 4:4 Jonah could have made a list of the things he was angry about.  He was a prophet and being asked to do the unthinkable – take God’s grace to the Israelites worst enemy. He was angry that the Ninevites might repent and God would spare them the judgment they had coming. They were ugly, vicious enemies of the Israelites. They were cruel and apparently boasted of their cruelty on their monuments, some of these monuments exists today in museums and here is a partial list of things they … Continue reading Anger Issues

Siege Mounds

Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it… Jeremiah 32:24 Walls were built around the cities in ancient times, walls that were designed to keep the people safe from enemy invaders. These walls probably gave them a sense of security until the day they noticed that their enemy was building up mounds of dirt along the wall to enable them to climb right over.  Can you imagine sitting inside this wall and hearing the report that the enemy was advancing and preparing to invade your space?  Can you imagine the fear and dread that that … Continue reading Siege Mounds