Trials & Joy! What in the world? Here's another irony God blesses us with! We generally do not consider a trial a joy until it's over and done. I can be a whiny brat in the midst of trials. A few years ago I was whining about my youngest daughter having to get medical care... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: I’m Waiting
We all dream of flying and what it would be like to soar to great heights and take in the beautiful landscapes. Flying must be freedom, limited by almost nothing. In my current state I cannot physically mount up with wings. I just have arms. I’m overweight. I’m limited by the world I live in.... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: Suffering
Sometimes I know I’d never survive if I hadn’t given the Lord my life. Do not be mistaken! The Christian life is one of suffering. We do not belong here. This is our Hell, but our Heaven is on the way. I remind myself of this constantly. Our suffering can reveal God to others. Our... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: Prayer Elements
Some parts of our faith are only between us and God. This is where God speaks to us and leads us. God fuels us and refreshes us through prayer. I’ve learned a lot about praying over the years, things like we don’t need to ask God to be with us because God already promised that.... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: Fruits of Suffering
Suffering - Endurance - Character - Hope - Rejoicing How? God! We cannot survive suffering here in this world without God. There's a huge difference in the suffering of God's people and the people who do not follow God. When God's people suffer, we turn to Him. We give it to God. We lean on... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: Suffering
Why does God allow suffering? We have each chosen our own way, just as the first humans did. We are a rebellious people wanting everything to be as we want it to be, essentially placing ourselves in the place that should be God's. Sin entered into the word long ago and suffering came with it.... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: God Walks with Us
We are always walking through waters in this life, waters of death, waters of grief, waters of disappointment, waters of pain, waters of violence, waters of anger and the list goes on and on... The comments I hear inside our loving church family are many on how we don’t even know how people survive without... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: Barreness, Spurgeon and God
The pain of barrenness runs deep in the soul of a woman. While meeting with a social worker preparing to be a foster parent I was asked if I can have children. “I don’t know,” I said, “I never tried.” We both laughed at my unique answer, unique because I’d been single for many years... Continue Reading →
Prayers: The Spirit
Lord, I thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit! Without You, Spirit, I’d be so lost. I’d be at a loss for words sometimes and as this verse in Romans points out, having a loss for words is okay because You stand in that gap where pain so deep resides. Where I’m weak,... Continue Reading →
Devotional Thoughts: When I’m Crushed
Psalms 34 is absolutely beautiful. God brings beauty from pain. In times of sadness, suffering and sorrow. God is near. When my child dies what’s my response? When my spouse leaves, how do I survive? When someone I love commits a heinous crime, what do I do? I’ve seen two replies when these overwhelming circumstances... Continue Reading →