“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life, and that life was the LIGHT of men. The LIGHT shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood (overcome, used in the margin) it.” John 1, 4 and 5a NIV (capitalization mine) Last week our community called upon the LIGHT of the world to dispel the darkness that had shrouded us. At first the dark … Continue reading →
Music provided the backdrop as people gathered in a parking lot to bring light where there once was horror and dark. Songs of hope and encouragement filled the air where gun shots had rung out earlier this month. Words of prayer and comfort brought hope and healing to this still grieving community. Holy words straight from God’s only book were spoken in this public place for all ears to hear. The air was electrified with the presence of … Continue reading →
It’s the season of harvest here at our home. We have waited longingly for the time to come when we could pick the sweet, juicy oranges and the tart lemons. We have waited for this moment for 12 months. The time of the last picking of fruit. It seems like an eternity since we inhaled the first blush of promised fruit from the trees. Fragrant white blossoms filled the air with their heady scent. Enthralled, we hope-counted how … Continue reading →
Chubby little fingers once wrapped around the knit Nativity pieces plopping them in place as we read about the birth of Jesus. Those toddler fingers that so desperately tried to show reverence while placing Mary and Joseph during the gospel reading would be spotted days later clutching a sheep or donkey while his pudgy legs raced pell mell ’round the living room. Occasionally, even Jesus took off in flight. It was a sight that still lifts the corners of … Continue reading →
One small candle glows “Hope” amidst the dark reminding us to be prepared for His coming. For He will come again just as He said (Mark 13:26&27). Tonight as we light one purple candle, we pray that our hearts focus on Him, be filled with Him as we celebrate the season that commemorates His coming to earth as a baby. We pray that our hearts not be distracted by the commercialism that now drives this once sacred … Continue reading →
Life can batter us at times. Our plans and hopes crumble before our eyes. People disappoint us. Loved ones get sick. The job we’ve relied on for 20 years is yanked out from under us. Our savings is depleted and we wonder where the next dime will come from. But in the midst of our terrible circumstances, there is One who has a plan. We think it’s a back-up plan but it’s really the original plan … Continue reading →
Arizona Fall sunset last night as seen through our Palo Verde tree The last vestiges of summer’s searing heat flare across our autumn sky. Exhausted, depleted, they leave their mark in colorful hues. A whispered good-bye, as the sky’s cool breath pushes the strands into summer’s compartment, awaiting next year’s return. The colors of autumn mornings sparkle with children dressed in red sweatshirts, brown sweaters, and long pants to greet their morning yellow bus. The chill will deepen, … Continue reading →
This past week, we were reading 2 Kings for our Sunday School class. We have been working through the historical books of the Old Testament. And parts of them have been enjoyable while others have created a bit of a struggle for me. However, this week, miracles were sprinkled all over the readings. God was moving mightily through Elisha and I was glued to the pages of the Bible as if I were reading a Christian novel. The well … Continue reading →
Chip praying My mother used to have a saying, “If you laugh today, you’ll cry tomorrow.” I fought against that pessimistic thinking with every fiber of my being. Verbally, logically, spiritually. One would walk through life with her chin on the ground, fear bound to laugh, to experience any pleasure in life. However, as I grew in spiritual knowledge and my relationship with the Lord, I saw some truth in that phrase. When we experience a victory from the … Continue reading →
“I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul rememb’ring my good friends.” William Shakespeare Winding up the mountain road, praise music reverberated through the car as we beheld His majestic creation. Strong boulders piled in formation, one atop the other stretched across the mountainside. My friend exclaimed from the back seat, “Look, it’s the cloud of witnesses.” Her description of the pillared boulders. Others had already been named by the park service–“The Seven Cataracts”; “The … Continue reading →
