Joy in the Journey

  I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8   There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad, she was horrid. Unknown   Do you know this poem? Whether you know the poem or not, I bet you can relate to the girl. It seems her brother is in my class. This little angel boy is good as gold most of the time but when he isn’t, suffice to say it’s just not pretty. The other day he chose to show his less pleasant nature just as the bus arrived to take him home. I was asked to convince him to sit down and put his seat belt on. When I got to the bus my co-worker, Lisa, was already there. I looked up and asked her, “Have you got this?” Her response was a terse but confident, “Oh I’ve got this.” And indeed she did. Her demeanor suggested that there was no room for defiance and our little

  “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?’” Matthew 21:16   Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Psalm 8:2      How often have you heard “out of the mouths of babes?” Did you know it was from the Bible? Given that most of us read more modern translations I think it’s safe to say many of us did not realize the origin. We use it when our children say something embarrassing or inappropriate.           Yesterday I had the privilege and blessing to experience that verse in its truest meaning.   Two of my granddaughters, Faith and Madelyn, had spent the night with me. They came into to my office when they woke up and found me, as they hoped they would, having my quiet time. They usually asks me what I’m reading or praying about but yesterday I was writing in my blessin

  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge or God and we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 People say that there are no more miracles. There is a certainty even among believing Christians, that those amazing events were for a different time. I beg to differ. While I could give a long list of miracles just from my own life, I really want to share what just happened to me.           I got up this morning with a heavy heart, my dreams having shone a lovely spotlight on the areas of my life that are far from encouraging. With my heavy heart and my restless thoughts leading the way I moved into my morning. Giving a valiant effort I tried to capture my thoughts and turn instead to prayer but every prayer opened another door of angst. UGH! I headed into my quiet time uncertain if I would be able to hear God at all and fairly sure that my gloomy mood was not going to lift. Realizing I needed to f

  So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27   Yesterday it was back to work for me after a lovely break. During that break I was blessed to spend time with my son Paul and my grandson Abram. Whenever I was asked about my break I found myself telling stories about Abram, including his love of the word amazing. To Abram, not quite two years old, many, many things are amazing. It’s so precious to hear him say it. As I shared stories about my precious angel boy many people commented about his vocabulary for a child so young. They were surprised. I was not, am not. I expected Abram to be a talker. Why? His father was a talker. In fact, compared to Paul at the same age, Abram doesn’t talk that much.           Let me say it again, I expected him to be like his father.           When we claim to be Christian and claim God as our Father, people have certain expectations of us as well. How often

    “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11   Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us… Ephesians 3:20   Yesterday I attended a group led by a man who seems to be faithful and seems also, like a nice guy. At one point during his talk he referred to “prosperity preachers” with a huge eye roll. No big deal, a lot of people do that. I noticed but I wasn’t offended or put off by it. To each his own, right? It was what happened later that made me think.           At the end of the group there was a call for prayer requests. The first two were for people suffering with cancer. There were a couple of other requests in the health column and then one for a man who need financial help as he is currently unable to work. I wrote them down, we prayed and then all went on ou