Malls are bustling with Christmas shoppers. Even here on our tropical island in Asia. Everyone seems to have a long “to do” list. My shopping list was short yesterday, but wriggling my way through the crowds made my trip to the mall long and tiring! Whew! A few years ago, I contemplated all that God did to get “ready” for…
“He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him–the dark rain clouds around him–the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightening.” Psalm 18:11-12 Darkness His covering. Psalm 18:1-12 is poetic and beautiful–I wish someone would paint the scene. I would gaze at a painting of this…
Twice a year my parents took me and my siblings to spend a week at the beach in a little town called Pangandaran. We packed our van with all the supplies we would need: food, snacks, towels, swimsuits, medicine for the inevitable minor injuries, games, pillows, and a table fan for Mom (the rest of us just had to figure…
We lived in a small African market town frequented by nomads and a variety of tribes. Long before we knew the language, I felt at home in the house of a tribal family. They readily welcomed me, and I could spend as long as I wanted with them. Sometimes I’d lie on one of their beds and take a nap.…
Discouragement drags on slowly. But what if patience in trials is more than mere survival—what if it’s worship?
Whether I’ve lost my sense of humor, been silenced by suffering, or simply reached the end of my earthly days, know that I found joy not in circumstances but in a life penned ages before I was born.
“Don’t be a Martha!” “Be more like Mary!” Have you heard these comments in relation to the story of Mary and Martha? Mary practically wears a halo over her head while she sits, blissful, at Jesus’ feet. In the background, Martha is sprouting horns, her face reddens and her veins boil. With this visual in our minds, who would even…
Today we held our grandson for the first time and words cannot describe the thrill! A Prayer for Theo, from Psalm 121 (ESV) I lift up my eyes to the hills. As Theo arrives and grows, may his eyes Where does my help come from? always look to You for help. My help comes from the LORD, May his heart…
Consecrate Yourselves: Part 2 …But one man disobeyed. The victory at Jericho must have emboldened the Israelite army. They surely thought the number of notches on their victory belts would increase as they attacked each subsequent city in the Promised Land. Ai was next on the list and, just like with Jericho, spies collected intelligence to build a battle plan.…
Joshua 3:5b “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” What do you first think when I mention the biblical character Joshua? Maybe the song, “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho”? Or maybe the words of Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous”? Me too. That’s why I’ve enjoyed digging further into the account of Joshua and pondering…
