This blog is designed to create community for believers and provide support for seekers. I encourage all readers to share their faith in an effort to lift and encourage one another.
Happy Tuesday! Here’s a quote by Henri Nouwen that will give you something to think about today.
“Maybe it is exactly the experience of loneliness that allows us to describe the first tentative lines of solitude. Maybe it is precisely the shocking confrontation with our hostile self that gives us words to speak about hospitality as a real option, and maybe we will never find the courage to speak about prayer as a human vocation without the disturbing discovery of our own illusions.”
Happy Monday! I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend!
Father, teach us to seek and follow your plans for us.
Through the Psalms
Psalm 15: 1-2
“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless,
Who does what is righteous,
Who speaks the truth from their heart;”
It makes you think about your words and actions, doesn’t it?
Lord, teach us to guard our tongues and walk in your ways, doing what is righteous.
Good morning!
What a beautiful promise.
Thank you, Lord.
Happy Wednesday, y’all!
This devotion was first published in “The Secret Place.” I hope you enjoy it.
Many admire the beauty of glass, its colors sparkling. Steppingstones, with embedded glass, decorate gardens. Stained-glass windows inspire awe and reverence.
To make the stained-glass, the artist first breaks glass, leaving tiny splinters and sharp edges. Next, she grinds the edges smooth.
Once shaped and smoothed, the artist solders the pieces together to create a stained-glass window. After the stained-glass is completed, its beauty is far greater than the original uncut glass. The artist transformed the glass into a work of art, matching the image seen in her mind.
Like the artist, God forms us into his image, creating our unique stained-glass. Before crafting us, God sees the finished product—more beautiful than we can imagine. Just as the artist arranges the glass, so God shapes us.
This may not always be pleasant, but God, our designer and artist, completes the work he has begun. The more we yield to his touch, the more his light shines through.
Someday all the jagged edges of our lives will be smoothed by God’s touch; someday he will shape us into his perfect work of art, allowing his love to softly glow through the colors of our lives.
Father, thank you for the work you are creating in me. Thank you for forming me into your image.
“May he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13: 21b
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
Here are some words from Billy Graham to give you something to ponder today.
“There are three of you. There is the person you think you are. There is the person others think you are. There is the person God knows you are and can be through Christ.”
Billy Graham
Who do you choose to be?
Father God, I pray for myself and for my family. Make each one of us into the man or woman you designed us to be.
Happy Monday everyone!
Can you imagine the day when all give our God and our Savior all praise and honor and glory and power?
Lord, keep me praising you now. You always deserve my praise. Why should I wait until eternity to give you your due?
Since I have so many new followers, I guess it’s time to introduce myself. For now, I’ll stick to the author side. After retiring from teaching high school English, I resurrected my dream of writing.
The first thing I submitted was a devotion. To my great delight and excitement, it was accepted! I took that as God’s approval on this new “career.” Since then, I’ve published over two dozen devotions and two articles in Chicken Soup for the Soul books. That was super exciting!
I have written a book of meditations over the gospels. Each of the 33 stories tells of a personal encounter someone actually had with Jesus. It moves chronologically from changing water into wine through resurrection. Each story follows with questions for reflection. I spent much time and prayer completing this book.
At the moment, the book is at a publisher, and I am impatiently waiting to hear whether or not they will publish it. The acquisitions editor liked it, but the publishing world moves so slowly.
When it is finally published, rest assured, I will let you know. You probably won’t need Facebook or a blog; you’ll hear me screaming for joy!
I would appreciate your prayers for publication.
Psalm 14: 2-3 & 7
“The Lord looks down from heaven
On all mankind
To see if there are any who understand,
Any who seek God.
All have turned away, all have become corrupt,
There is no one who does good,
Not even one.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores his people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!”
This short psalm (7 verses) appears negative when compared with psalms. The idea that there is no one who does good seems discouraging. At least it did until I thought about it a little and prayed about it. In Romans, we are reminded that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). With this thought in mind, I realized how true the statement “there is no one who does good” truly is. Compared to our amazing God, nothing we do is good. Yet, one day our God will restore his people. Think of that day and rejoice and be glad.
Thank you Lord, for your restorative power and your saving grace.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I struggle with discouragement. What about you?
Lord, keep me strong and keep me from becoming discouraged. Instead, let me remember that you are with me and I can rely on your strength and wisdom.
Growing Our Faith Together 