Really Jesus?! Children?!

The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them. Mark 10:14-15 Jesus was constantly surprising people by His word and His actions, even His disciples who had … Continue reading Really Jesus?! Children?!

Detour Ahead

   For I believe God. Acts 27:25 Traversing from point A to point B should be easy enough. Should be, but we all know that this straight-line trajectory isn’t always so easy. Even with GPS, we can still find ourselves heading the wrong way. Sometimes detours are just a misunderstanding of directions and other times the path is blocked by things beyond our control. Detours happen. Unannounced, unplanned, unwarranted. This happened to Paul and the people on board the ship with him when they encountered a storm so terrible it “blotted out the sun and the stars, until at last … Continue reading Detour Ahead

It Will Be Well

And he (her husband) said, “Why will you go to him (the prophet) today?  It is neither new moon nor sabbath?”  And she said, “It will be well.”  II Kings 4:23 We aren’t told her name.  Only that she was a Shunnamite and had no child.  Elisha the prophet told her she would have a child and sure enough, she did.  The story tells us that when the child was grown, he developed a headache and died in his mother’s lap.  She laid the boy on Elisha’s bed and set out to find the prophet.  She told her husband she … Continue reading It Will Be Well

Payment Accepted

So, friends, we can now—without hesitation— walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.  So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Hebrews 10:19-22 Message Bible Need healing? Need restoration? Need peace? Need something you can’t even put into words? Feel like you can’t even approach God? You’ve been too distant – feel too unworthy – it’s been far too long since you even considered Him as a viable … Continue reading Payment Accepted

Salvation Garden

In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:21 Learning the things of God requires humility; a desire to know the Lord requires meekness. Humility involves teachability. Taken as such, God’s word has the power to make a salvation-garden of our life! God’s word has the power to save us from ourselves, our sins, our pain, our sense of unworthiness and bless us in so many ways but only if we come to it with a humble, teachable spirit. Too many times though, we come to the Bible with preconceived ideas … Continue reading Salvation Garden

Swinging Bridge

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 When I was 24 years old, I had three children under the age of 5. I was living in Montana miles and miles removed from my family in Texas. My husband, their father, was seldom home and not very helpful when he was home. I felt alone; I was alone. I had this recurring dream.  In this dream, I was … Continue reading Swinging Bridge

A New Pillow or Four

  Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7: 7-8 Some time ago, I had promised my son a new pillow.  I didn’t forget this promise, I just hadn’t made time to go get it. And, of course, he didn’t let me forget it. Many times over the period of 5 days, he reminded me. I found it … Continue reading A New Pillow or Four

Name to Face

Look at the sky and see.     Who created these things?     Who brings out the stars one by one?         He calls them all by name.     Because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power,     not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26 Taking care of kids involves a lot of paperwork. One piece is our Name to Face sheet. On this we put the name of each child who is attending. Then every time we take them from one room to another or from inside to outside or vice versa, we are to call out each name, … Continue reading Name to Face

Who You Gonna Call?

People with their minds set on you,     you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet,     because they keep at it and don’t quit. Depend on God and keep at it     because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. Isaiah 26:3 No matter where we turn right now, news of the coronavirus pandemic has filled the airways. There’s Google and the neighbor next door, and the man at work (for those that are still working), and the latest report on the news. Everyone has a report, everyone has an opinion as to how well our government has handled this … Continue reading Who You Gonna Call?

Remember?

Remember the day when we first met?  I do.  I remember the sunshine and the sound of the creek as it rolled by.  I remember your tears.  I saw your pain, your confusion.  You lost all hope that day, remember? But you called out to me, remember that?  You called out through the tears.  Your words were barely audible, but I heard them. And when you were out of words and out of tears remember how I held you? Remember the peace we shared that day – sweet, heavy, lingering?  Did you hear the angels in heaven rejoicing that day?  I … Continue reading Remember?