Inspirations

  Examine   yourselves  to see whether you are in the faith; test  yourselves .  2Corinthians 13:5 Yesterday, we decided to go to the beach.   After parking and changing into more appropriate clothing,  we headed across the expanse of sand and into the water prepared to enjoy the day.   It was then that we encountered the phenomena  familiar to everyone who chooses  to dip into the lake, sea, or pool even on the hottest day of the summer.   The beautiful crystal clear lake felt cold.   Not a numbing bone-chilling cold, but cold all the same.   We carefully waded out, letting our bodies adjust to the temperature of the water,  laughing and teasing until we finally took the plunge and ducked under the water.  We swam and enjoyed the lake for some time, then we decided to lay on the sand.   Then we experienced this phenomenon in reverse.   As we started out of the water, ...

  Do everything in love.                                                                                        1 Corinthians 16:14                   In case you've been living,   or hiding under a rock the last few months,   ( I don't blame you, at this point)   there is a huge debate that is cutting into the fabric of everyone's life.    Are you ready for the  debate that everyone is ready to come to blows about?    MASKS!    You read that right masks.      Should you wear one should you not wear one.      It's crazy!    People are getting into fisticuffs over a face covering.      Everyone has a point of v...

The answer to racism is not to make another law, not to have another protest peaceful or otherwise. It's not in one more killing to right the wrongs committed, or ripping down another statue. It's not even in rewriting history to leave out the parts we don't like. It's not even to create another movement. All of those things may help, to some extent, but the only true answer at the risk of sounding simplistic, is Jesus. When Jesus changes our heart, there is no room for hatred of anyone because God is love. In the body of Christ, we are one.

                                                                                         You must  destroy   all   the   people s  the   Lord  your God gives over to you.  Deut.  7:16 As I read this I have often wondered why God would require this seemingly harsh treatment of people. Did he hate them? No, he doesn't hate anyone. I know he didn't want his people to learn the ways of the "world", but why everyone? Some of them may have done nothing wrong. Did they deserve to die? No, probably not, but they were sucked into the drama of those around them. They aren't the only ones to have that happen to them. Simon the Cyrene had that happen when Jesus was being crucified. He was forced to carry the cross.  He's not the...

                                                                                                                                         Save me! We have all said or yelped that a time or two. I remember once when I was 14 or 15, I got into water that was too deep for a novice swimmer. As the water started to pull me under, all I could do is yell “Help!” Flash forward forty years.   I found myself driving down a hiking trail by mistake.   I blame the GPS. As I drove down a trail barely wide enough for a car, I was praying with each breath that the car would stay on the road And that I could find a place wide enough for...

When you pass through the  waters , I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2 The past few months have been as tumultuous as a sea in a hurricane .    I feel like I have been tossed into an ocean, and the water is rising.   I am facing struggles that I never thought I would face.   The betrayal of a friend, death, financial struggles, and sickness, personal, and now global. Now to top it off, there is a quarantine.   No going anywhere except to work. It's enough to make me want to throw my hands in the air in defeat. I think we all feel that way right now.   We have all face these struggles, and when they assault us all at once It is easy to feel overwhelmed,  exhausted, and stressed, like just one more thing will drag us under. ...

Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” This afternoon, I realized that I needed to make a transfer from an old-style savings account that had a book,  to my checking account.   I had about 15 minutes before the bank closed,  so I quickly hopped in the car and drove to the bank (Yes, I am aware that there is online banking).  I arrived at the bank with minutes to spare. I looked in my purse to find the book I needed and came up empty. The book was not in the purse as I supposed.   No book means I can't transfer money from the account. That's a problem. I went into the bank, and the nice l...