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?

Healing Waters

  Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” John 4:14  Message Bible   When I lived in Montana, Mountain Brook flowed through my yard and my pasture year round. My daughters and their friends loved playing in that creek – trying to catch fish and float tubes down to the pond. The water rolled gently over the rocks and created a lullaby sound.  At least, most of the year. … Continue reading Healing Waters

A Special Secret

A Special Secret I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation … Philippians 4: 12 Paul didn’t have a particularly easy life. The trajectory of his life may not have gone the way he planned. Maybe he thought following Christ would make his life easier. I mean, don’t we think that at times? Paul was in jail as he wrote this letter, facing probable death if he wasn’t released. He could have twiddled his thumbs, he could have slept the day away, complained, grumbled, started riots or felt sorry for himself or gotten angry at God and indignant … Continue reading A Special Secret

Anxious Thoughts

  When my anxious thoughts multiply within me; Your consolations delight my soul.  Psalm 94:19 I’d like to say that I am breezing through this COVID-19 with joy and grace and peace, but alas, that’s not true.  Oh, sometimes, it is.  Maybe even most of the time.  But often, in the wee hours of the morning when sleep has once again evaded me because of this pandemic, my thoughts become anxious and they multiply within me. Thoughts like when God when, why God why and please God tell me how to get through this.  When my brain is filled with … Continue reading Anxious Thoughts

The Terror in the Hallway

The Terror in the Hallway  The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,    he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths     for his name’s sake. Even though I walk     through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,     for you are with me; your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. Psalm 23: 1-4   When we were kids, we loved to watch Alfred Hitchcock and Twilight Zone.  We would all gather in the family room and watch and tremble and get sooooo … Continue reading The Terror in the Hallway

Whose Job Is It?

 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He … Continue reading Whose Job Is It?