Do you find yourself asking the “why did that happen?” question? Why in the world did that happen? Or, why did this happen to me? Or, how could this have happened? We all ask some such question from time to time. Even when we don’t mean to bring up our doubtful questioning in conversation, our comments betray us when we say something like, I don’t know how that could have happened, or some similar statement. I think we all seem as though we’re surprised when things happen — as if we’d missed something in our vigilant attempts to prevent all…
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What do you have in your hand? Are you wanting to send opportunity away? Most of the time, that’s the basis for our willingness to obey the Lord… our willingness to obey or our willingness to serve is based on what we’ve got in our hand or what we think we can do. Our response to the prompting of the LORD generally goes through a process of reasoning. We think, well, it looks like this situation is doable; or, yes, I think I can do this because I have enough time, money, experience, etc., etc. The real testing of…
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Reading today in the Word… Over a cup of coffee with you. Mark 13 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall…
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It’s about now that the resolve for NewYear’s Resolutions is tested. Or forgotten. It’s right about now that most of us have either ignored, forgotten or revised this year’s resolutions (especially if we give in and confess they’re too arduous for us to keep). In reality, they’re probably not too arduous or difficult to keep — it’s just that our constant companion proves to be a more formidable foe than we realize. This constant companion, Self, is usually pretty convincing. Usually always. Self will never be satisfied. And, truth be told, most of us make a whole list of stuff…
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Could This Be *The* Year For You? “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14.15 O, sisters in the LORD—could this be *the* year for you? This is when the real change will occur… when we finally seek to know and to live the truths of God’s Word…when we lay our lives at His feet, when we give Him everything we’ve held on to: hands down… when we accept and apply the teaching of the Lord Jesus—demonstrating our love for Him by our obedience to Him… When we finally reckon with: If you love Me you will obey Me.…
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I read a letter from a dear sister and at the end of her letter she enclosed a quote: “Self-pity is like super glue from hell that keeps us stuck to the past.” (Love & Thank you, Jenny) As I’ve worked in our home today I’ve been mulling this quote over in my mind. I’ve been thinking of other angles on this one and I’ve come to see another angle on what keeps us stuck in the past — it seems to me that guilt is the “super glue from hell” that keeps us stuck to the past. Even confessed…
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I know you might be snickering at that title — as if it were written: “[She’s] Thinking. Thankfully!” Well, I am working diligently at really t-h-i-n-k-i-n-g before I write, t-h-i-n-k-i-n-g before I speak and even t-h-i-n-k-i-n-g before I think on things. If I’ve learned nothing else in the past year it is to t-h-i-n-k. Think. Think. Think… before I do or say anything. Still, I don’t get things right. But tonight the thinking I’m referring to is thankful thinking — or, thinking thankfully. Just as it’s very hard — almost impossible — to praise and complain at the same time,…
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Facing the woman in the mirror… and getting her to do what she ought: O, what a challenge, sometimes!! I know this. I know this painfully well. And so… I want to share with you some things you might do to help the woman in the mirror. Don’t “muddle” through life… there is help and there is hope.Your tomorrows do not have to be like your yesterdays. I’ve sometimes thought, with dread, that things will never change. I’ve sometimes thought, again with dread, that I will never change… that I will never get a handle on this or that struggle.Every…
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Significant to me are the milestones in my life that were either turning points or celebrations or decisions. Some of the turning points were simply changes in direction of thought or action; simple things like: from this day forward, I will________. I have marked many of the “I will’s” in my Bible or on stones in our garden or in journals I’ve kept over the years. Sometimes I didn’t realize that specific decisions would have such strong or lasting implications—nor, did I realize that God would use decisions as springboards for others. But I do now. Only looking back do…
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As I was reading my Bible, I began to pray specifically for one of my boys. This often happens as I am reading along and am inspired by the text to stop and pray or to make personal application to a particular situation or for a particular individual or family. Well, the other day as I was reading and praying, I was greatly comforted by God’s gracious love toward us and how, though occasionally quite painful or difficult, the Lord works all things for our good and His glory. Each trial or difficulty seems (perhaps not till long after the…