The Resting Place

Of Great Worth

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” I John 4:11

“And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” I John 4:21

Terri, the sweet lady who had done my nails for several years, was not at the salon that day. Instead, she had taken the day off to be at the funeral home due to the death of her mother. Because Terri had talked about her mom at previous appointments, I always made it a priority to ask how she was doing. Naturally, I was saddened to hear the news of her passing.

As a little background information, Terri and I became friends on my very first visit to see her about 10 years ago. At the end of the visit, I not only gave her a nice tip but also a copy of God’s Word. She said she would read it to practice her English. After that, our friendship seemed to be that of mutual love and respect for one another.

Although Terri was of the Buddhist religion, it became apparent that she was respectful of my Christian faith. During my appointments at the salon, she often talked about life growing up in Vietnam. Sometimes, she cried because of cruel words from others that had been spoken to her as a child. Once we even cried together, for her story broke my heart. I always listened, did my best to encourage her, and felt honored that she trusted me enough to acknowledge the pain she was still feeling, even after many years.

My daughter, Shelly also went to the same salon and became friends with Terri and the other ladies there. Granddaughter Sophie, then four years old, helped to seal the friendships we all had. When Shelly became sick and as her cancer progressed, each time we were there, Terri and the other employees treated her with extra special care. Many times, Terri cried. She had grown to love Shelly very much and it saddened her to see Shelly so sick.

Because of the bond Terri and I shared, I felt very strongly that it was important for me to go to the funeral home to pay my respects that afternoon. After the appointment, I quickly went home, changed into more appropriate clothing, and headed out.

When I arrived at the funeral home, I was greeted with such love and warmth. Terri and her niece, TG, who also worked at the salon, gave the biggest hugs, with tears. They were very appreciative of my visit. What a beautiful family. I have NEVER seen as many flowers as this dearly departed lady had been given to honor her 94 years of life. It was evident how deeply loved she was by many people. As I stood there in the moment, I silently thanked God for the “nudge” He had given me to visit the funeral home that day.

You know, friends, our hands, and our hearts are capable of many human and spiritual responses. That day, I simply used both to hold a hand and give hugs to one who was hurting due to her loss. I told Terri and her family that I would be praying for them. It was the most important thing I could do for a family who was grieving.

Terri retired three years ago and I no longer go to that particular nail salon. Although she and I were different in many ways, I believe that our loving Heavenly Father brought us together for a little window of time, all for His good purposes. As God does with all of creation, He sees great value in Terri’s worth. I pray that she saw Jesus through me—not for my glory, but for His alone!! As God allowed, I planted and watered the seed by His leading. I think of Terri often and continue to pray that someone else will reap the harvest of seeing her come to know Jesus as her personal Savior.

Today, I urge you to be on the lookout for your own Divine Appointments. You will find them in many of your daily routines and activities. You are the hands and feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ here on earth and He wants to use you for His good purposes. All He needs from you is a willing heart and He will do the rest.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. There is none like You. We thank You for loving us so extravagantly and for placing others in our daily walk of life with whom we can share Your love. I pray that You will keep Divine Appointments on my calendar, and the calendar of Christians everywhere who are praying to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. I pray, even now, that my friend Terri and her family will come to know the true and living God, for You have already filled her with great love for others. Help us to always serve others with gladness and Your joy in our hearts. I pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Operating in Faith

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Do you know that we operate on faith every day without thinking about it? There are many examples, but I’ll only give one. For instance, I’m currently sitting in a chair at my desk writing these thoughts. When I sat down, I didn’t think twice about whether or not the chair would hold me up. I had faith that it would. After all, my desk chair has always done its job. Consequently, I’ll go through my day having faith in many things I don’t even think about.

A person doesn’t have to be a believer in Christ to exercise this non-spiritual kind of faith. It comes naturally and helps us maneuver throughout the activities of our day, and this life.

Now spiritual faith is a different thing entirely. Christians know what and Who the object of our faith is. We have experienced faith becoming real in our lives. In my case, I was 12 years old when I committed my life to Jesus Christ. At that moment spiritual faith was born in my heart through the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was a babe in Christ, but I was His. Praise God!

It takes a lifetime to grow in our faith because God is always working through life’s varying circumstances. Our faith is made stronger through both the good and hard times we experience. Romans 8:28, one of my favorite scriptures tells us the following, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Not some things, but ALL things. Our faith should propel us to lean closer to Him through everything we experience in life. If we do, we will find a deep-down peace that surpasses our own understanding.

As we move forward each day, let us pray that God will use the faith He has implanted in our hearts, to love and emulate Jesus more than we did the day before, for it is God’s constant work in us that changes us for the better.

I’m so thankful I can call on Jesus 24/7. He’s as close as the mention of His name. Like my desk chair, a non-spiritual object, He is the spiritual object of my affection. He will always hold me up, love me, support me, forgive me, and help me to live out His plan for my life. He will do the same for each of you. All you need to do is ask.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are the object of our faith. Please help us to daily live in such a way that others will see Jesus in us, which is our greatest desire. Forgive us when we fail to exercise the faith You have already given us. We trust You to strengthen us as we travel through our daily walk of life. I pray these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love Never Fails

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” I Corinthians 13:1-8

A little over twenty years ago we were in the middle of constructing our current home. Without fail, we visited the site daily to see the progress that had been made.

One particular day, our daughter, Shelly, and her three older children were with us at the house. It was on that day that Heather, Justin, and Jacob asked permission to sign and date a corner post located in the hallway. Several days later, our granddaughter, Felicia also signed and dated the same post. As the house was completed, the walls covered that special place, but I’ll always be reminded of the signatures and message of love behind the wall.

A few years after we had moved into the house, a dear friend gave us a beautiful cross based on I Corinthians 13:8, “Love never fails.” Right away, I knew the perfect place to hang it was on the wall at the exact spot where the grandchildren had signed the post.

This morning as I was reliving this memory, I thought of an application that could be used intentionally by each of us not only today but every day while we are here on Earth. Wherever we go, whatever we are doing, whatever our circumstances, let’s not hide our love and kindness to others behind the walls of our hearts. Sometimes it’s easy and more comfortable to settle into the safety of our own lives. But I also know that everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle. It might be physical, emotional, spiritual, all three, or a combination of the three. Rest assured that you can make a difference. A smile. A hug. A kind word. Little acts of kindness on your part is often a big deal to others.
And remember, there is much love behind the Cross. For you, and them. As the verse of scripture says, “Love never fails.”

I’m so thankful for these grandchildren who long ago expressed their love for us in a unique and lasting way. And I’m thankful for God’s everlasting love. It is the difference between joy and sorrow, hope and despair, faith and fear. This is the Good News I’m taking into my day. I hope you all will do the same.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for loving us in such a way as no one else can. We praise You for that never-ending love given to us through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. You loved mankind, your creation, so much that You sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. We cannot comprehend such love but we receive it with thankfulness and humility. Help us to love others as we seek to shine Your light on those we encounter in our daily walk of life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Last Will Be First

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:26 ESV

One day the last Scripture will be placed in someone’s hand. The last encouraging word of our faith in Jesus Christ will be spoken to someone who is searching for peace in their own life. The last song will be sung. The last church service will be held. There will be a lot of “lasts!”Time is short. It could be any day.

As believers, we look forward to what God has in store for us in Heaven, but while we’re here on earth running our race for Jesus Christ, may our greatest desire be to come in last! Sound strange? In this case, I believe that being last has merit and certainly eternal implications.

Let us have the desire to be that person who shares the last Scripture with someone who needs encouragement. As we share that Scripture, may we never be reluctant to share our unique story of redemption and rescue. Doing so will serve as a testimony of how God can take the broken pieces of our lives and make them into a beautiful masterpiece to be used for His glory alone.

So yes, may we endeavor to be last in our work for the Kingdom of God. May we not stop, become discouraged, or take our focus off the prize we’ll receive for completing our race.

Regardless of what your race here on earth involves, please remember that while Heaven is our home, Earth is the place to make Jesus known. And one sweet day, we will see Him in all His glory and majesty. What a day that will be!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, how we praise You and thank You for being with us through every moment of our lives. Give us strength and wisdom in serving You. May our spiritual race be run with the determination and endurance only You can provide. I pray this in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tough Times Never Last

“When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19

I’m so thankful that God knows every anxious moment we experience in life. It is impossible to avoid such times for they come to all of us. But…..the Good News is that we don’t have to be alone during those times. We have Jesus to see us through each moment of uncertainty. He is as close as the mention of His name; He will always meet us at the point of our need; He sees us when we feel otherwise unseen; and He will bring peace to the midst of our chaos.

Life can be tough, but tough times never last. Please remember that you have Someone who can see you through those difficult moments and seasons of life. He knows what you need and stands ready to help you. For sure, when you call upon Him, you begin to experience a deep peace that only He can give. I can promise you this. Why? Because He’s done it for me countless times during my lifetime. But most importantly, in His Word, Jesus gives a rock-solid promise: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27.

God loves you more than you will ever know. Today and always He wants to walk beside you. The key is to call on Him. Invite Him into your situation, believing that His wonder-working power will help you through.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are the God who sees every aspect of our lives. You are working in our lives even when we can’t see or feel it. Help us to lean into Jesus and trust His heart for us. Thank You for giving us such love. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Build Your House Upon the Rock

“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” Luke 6:47

After reading the above scripture, I was reminded of the song below which we sang as children. I thought about how blessed I’ve been to have had “strong-in-the Lord” pastors whose uncompromising messages from God’s Word have helped strengthen my spiritual foundation. Through personal time with the Lord—regular prayer time, Bible studies, small groups, mission trips, Christian music, and serving in special ministries with others of like mind, God has put His Word into my heart so that I might steadily develop a stronger spiritual foundation, held firmly and securely by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Good News today is that God is always working to shape our faith and change us in such a way that our spiritual foundation will remain strong and unshakable. If we ask and allow Him to, He will strip us of those unsightly hindrances that would prevent us from growing in our faith. He will take them to the recycling center of His love and make us someone who more closely resembles Himself, and someone who will not be ashamed or afraid of sharing the Good News with others as often as He allows.

Abiding in Jesus—remaining steadfast and confident in Him, taking advantage of the tools He provides for our spiritual growth, and living a focus-centered life in Christ will enable us to stand strong on our spiritual foundation through every season and every circumstance that lies ahead. I will always be a work in progress, but am so thankful for His love and care throughout my lifetime. I owe Him a debt I can never repay, but thanks be to God, Jesus loved me enough to pay that debt for me.

The ground is level at the foot of the Cross and our heavenly Father will always meet us there. He is the rock on which we stand. He is ready and so very willing to help you and me begin or continue building a strong and lasting spiritual foundation.

The Wise Man and the Foolish Man
Ann Omley, 1948

The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
But the house on the Rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand fell flat.

So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
And the blessings will come down.
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
So build your life on the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us to strengthen our foundation of faith in Christ every day. Forgive us when we fail to honor You as we should and help us to live each day according Your principles. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Where Is God During Hard Times?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 ESV

Have you ever wondered where God is during your hard times, sorrow, or pain? Do you wonder if He is just sitting there letting you endure the trauma you feel? Do you feel you need to go searching for Him? Allow me to share what I’ve discovered.

One day, several years after my sweet daughter, Shelly had gone to Heaven, I sat down and listed all the blessings and ways that God had helped to get us through such a traumatic time in our family. For me, it was comforting to recount the many ways His loving hand had worked on our behalf, even amid the pain and deep sadness of those 17 1/2 months of Shelly’s illness and the ensuing months and years after her passing. While my heart will always hurt because of Shelly’s absence, and while I still have moments that wreck me temporarily, I know that I will always have shelter from the hard places in life. Simply put, my HOPE is in the Lord. I will never be alone, for He is always with me.

Back to the beginning question, “Where is God during our hard times, sorrow, or pain?” He is right beside us! I have found that the only thing we can be certain of during the good and the not-so-good moments or seasons that come into our lives is that through faith and trust in Jesus, we WILL experience God’s presence, peace, and faithfulness. He is with us every step of the way and will bring comfort to our hearts. This truth remains above all else: God’s peace will be with us through every circumstance. Our struggles in life will change, but our focus should not.

God is the author of our story, through all seasons. Wherever your station in life, if you’re alive, He’s not finished writing your story. To me, that reality in my life IS the Good News of the day and I’m looking forward to the next chapter!

Jehovah Shalom – The LORD is Peace.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, How thankful we are that You are our peace. You are for us, and you are with us. Even though there are times of great sorrow and pain when we might not sense Your presence, Father we know, based on Your Word and our total trust in You, that Your presence goes before us. We simply could not make it without knowing that. Help us to share Your love and light with those placed in our daily walk of life. May we all be good representatives of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and Lord. I pray this in His name, and that He will always receive the glory and honor. Amen.

Someone We Can Trust

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

Years ago, probably in the 1990s, my husband and I enjoyed watching the popular sitcom, “Home Improvement” on TV. In the show, Tim Taylor, played by comedian Tim Allen, was characterized as a cocky, overambitious, accident-prone know-it-all. Tim joked around a lot, even at inappropriate times, much to the dismay of his wife, Jill.

On the show, Tim was a former top salesman for Binford Tools, and the “Home Improvement” show was based around his Binford-sponsored show, “Tool Time.” It was like a show within a show.

Because Tim was accident-prone as a handyman, there were often disasters on and off the set. Many “Tool Time” viewers assumed that the accidents on the show were done on purpose to demonstrate the consequences of using tools improperly. However, many of Tim’s accidents were caused by his devices being used in an over-the-top manner, designed to illustrate his mantra, “More power!”

While going down memory lane with this show, I also thought about Tim’s neighbor, Wilson W. Wilson, Jr. who was often the go-to guy for solving Tim’s many, and frequent problems. While the two engaged in conversation as Tim verbally grappled with his problems, Wilson’s eyes and forehead were only visible as he stood on the other side of Tim’s backyard fence. The viewers never saw his face; just another little quirky aspect of the show. Wilson was a strange kind of character but usually offered sage advice to Tim. In a funny kind of way, I liked his character a lot.

I got to thinking how we’d all probably like to have a trusted neighbor like Wilson on the other side of the fence, always there for us; and someone who has the wisdom we often need. In reality, that usually isn’t the case. But, we do have Someone. So, let’s take these thoughts to a much higher level, if we may.

Although we have never seen the face of God, He has given us many ways to recognize Him. He has the greatest wisdom anywhere. Talk about sage advice! He’s got it! He is always working behind the scenes in ways we don’t know about and many times don’t understand. He has a good plan for each of us, our family members, and our friends. Things might not point that way, but we must remain trustful, hopeful, prayerful, optimistic, and faithful to our beliefs and what we know to be His truth. He never leaves us and is always there to help us in those situations of life where we need extra strength and wisdom.

We all have needs and concerns and we, too, grapple with hard places in our lives. I am confident, based on God’s Word, that He sees each of His children and He knows what we are going through. We will never be alone in our hard seasons of life. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, He will bring peace, guidance, comfort, and the wisdom we need to continue to let our light shine in the darkness of any situation that we face. Only He can do that!

Prayer: Dear God, we thank You for being our perfect Heavenly Father. How comforting it is to know that we can call on You at any time day or night. I pray for all who are experiencing trying times; and who need someone they can trust. May they lift their concerns and hearts upward to You, the only One who will give them security, hope, and the peace they need to go forward. We pray this in the name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Check Your Baggage

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Several years ago, Ray and I flew to Miami, FL to board a cruise ship bound for the Southern Caribbean. Since I have always been guilty of overpacking for trips, our luggage was already packed to the hilt when we checked in at the Austin airport. Because I’m a contingency planner, I always want to have extra clothes, etc. just in case I need them. Many times I carry things I never use that end up not benefiting me during the trip, and I am left with the extra burden of having to unpack these things when I return home.

During the cruise week, I went about buying little gifts here and there for the grandkids. Having promised our granddaughter Sophie some sea shells from the Caribbean, I found lots of large conch shells on the beach in Turks & Caicos. Even though they were heavy, I knew that Sophie would love them! By the time our week was over, I had collected quite a bit more than I had planned on taking home.

When the cruise ended, we returned to the Miami airport only to find at check-in that our luggage was way over the acceptable weight limit. Not wanting to pay the extra fee, we did what we had never done before—rolled our suitcases over to a table that was there for folks like us (me, really). There we began to unpack and dispose of those things we considered non-essential. As we repacked, I made sure to include a few of those pretty shells for Sophie. 🐚 Finally, after about 20 minutes of working feverishly to correct course, we had the weight back to 50 pounds and the threat of having to pay an additional fee was over.

The story above reminds me of another type of baggage we humans are sometimes prone to carry on our shoulders and in our hearts. Heavy bags of Guilt. Shame. Anger. Resentment. Unforgiveness. Hurt. Grief. Disappointment. Jealousy. Negativity. There are many more I could list, but I’ll stop there. From experience, I’ve learned that it is much better to take a good look at what bags are needed, versus those that will never be beneficial for our spiritual and/or emotional health. The things that hinder our relationship with God and others have no place remaining with us. In letting go, we will experience the freedom of never being weighed down by the heaviness of our emotional baggage. Laying it down and checking it permanently in at the foot of the cross will bring unimaginable peace.

I pray that all who read this have only the essential amount of luggage needed to make your trip through life more enjoyable. May you never be constrained by the heaviness of holding on to that which won’t be of any benefit to you on life’s journey.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, through Your unfailing love, we marvel at how You stand ready to rid us of the heavy loads we sometimes carry. Father, help us to leave all things that so easily beset us at the foot of the cross. Give us the strength to never take them up again, knowing that You sent Jesus for this very reason—that we might be free from anything that hinders our walk with You. We can never thank You enough for all You’ve done for us. I pray these things in the name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins past, present, and future. Amen.

2024! Happy New Year!

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 ESV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13 ESV

Happy New Year! We have now put 2023 behind us and are moving forward to a new chapter—a new year. While we don’t know what 2024 will hold for each of us, we can rest firmly and securely in knowing that God is the same as He was yesterday, as He is today, and as He will be forever (Hebrews 13:8). He does not change (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6). He will keep His promises and He will always be with us. From Genesis to Revelation He is the same. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Therein lies our peace.

As we begin this new year, I pray that Jesus will meet each of you wherever you are in life. Our needs are diverse, but how thankful we can be that He is never stumped by anything we may be going through. Since He is all-knowing, nothing we encounter in life ever comes as a surprise to Him. He has already been there. He goes before us.

Today, may we seek His strength, wisdom, and guidance to live in such a way so that others see Christ, the HOPE of the world, in us. May we always walk with the assurance that we belong to Him. And because of that, may we hold securely to His unchanging hand throughout 2024 and beyond. It’s the safest place to be. May God bless you all.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You on this first day of a new year to thank You for waking us up this morning. We have awakened to the beginning of another year. Thank You for the gift of life and for helping us to see that it is only through Your love, grace, and mercy that we can face these days in which we are living. I pray that peace will overcome strife and good will overcome evil in 2024. May each person reading this message trust and believe that You are in control even when circumstances seem to dictate otherwise. We love You and thank You for our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. It is in His name that I pray this prayer. Amen.

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