Corona Devotionals

There is just never enough time in our family mornings, and t hen, (Oh, perfect .) I see that we are covered in snow outside.  My mind races to the roads, the uncleared driveway and the extra-time (which we don't have) that will be necessary for travel. My wheels are spinning.  My mind is racing.  My attitude is tanking. Then... my God is speaking: The   Lord   is my shepherd,   I shall not want.  ~ Psalm 23:1 Have I forgotten Whose I am ?  I belong to the great  I am.   ( God said to Moses, “ I am who I am ."  ~ E xodus 3:14 ).   The   Lord   is  our shepherd .  Connect-the-dots to realize that we are His sheep.   The shepherd cares  for His sheep, and God cares for us today.  May we slow down  (stop wanting! ) and be aware of the  shepherd's presence today.   Why are we (choosing) to see only chaos, pressure, and haste?   Look again  at our...

I guess God knew that if He wanted to catch my eye (and my heart) in a Bible verse, He would have to put it in language that I understand.  And if there's something I understand...it's dirty clothes .  I don't want them on. One of our children had reflux as a baby and he was always spitting up.  Bibs, onesies, crib sheets and especially  momma's shirts were immediately thrown in the wash when they were spit-up on, because who wants to wear  dirty clothes ?  They are stinky, yucky, and unbecoming. Even now, (our kids are not babies), but there are lots of  dirty clothes.   And the first thing that they want to do when they come home from practice, a work-out, or a game is to shower and change, because who wants  to wear  dirty clothes ?   They are stinky, yucky, and unbecoming. And so...leave it to the Lord to make His Word real, and to drive-home-His-point about our sin and  dark deeds  by comparing them to ...

I attended a rather unorthodox  (contrary to the usual)  gathering-of-neighbors the other night.  But (you might say...) a gathering of neighbors  isn't unorthodox, is it?  Neighbors and friends gather all the time. But an evening spent with chips and chatter amongst neighbors is unorthodox when the neighbors (some of whom live next door or across the street from each other) don't know each other.   Some of the ladies at our gathering had never met one another, even though we all live within (literal) yards of each other. How did the gathering of strangers-to-friends happen?   A nother neighbor and I  had met many of the women on our street...and  we knew that they were amazing, but  none of them   knew that about each other.  We felt that had to change...in the name of community. My friend and I felt a beautiful burden from God to gather-the-girls, and it finally happened the other night. But if we are living in th...

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples.  ( 36)  As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”   37  When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus...  (40)  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.    ( 41)  Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”.   (42)  Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus.    ~John 1:35-42 A friend is always loyal,    and a brother is born to help in time of need.  ~proverbs 17:17   0  I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, [ a ]  by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.  ~I Corinthians 1:10 7  But if we are liv...

We're used to the Bible telling us to love others.  We get that.  Most people have heard the phrase "Love thy neighbor" so casually that they might not even know that it's a Bible verse ( Leviticus 19:18 ) and not just a polite saying. We know  that when we love others, we are obeying God b ecause it's repeated often in the Bible, sermons, and even in the marketplace of life.     But I was surprised to find that God gets political in Romans 13 .  I wasn't expecting the Bible to get into our party-affiliations or to tell us to pay taxes...but (did you know) that it does ? Well, God doesn't tell us how to vote, per se, but He reminds us today that no matter who or what "party" is "in charge" or who is governing us...He is (first) our ultimate authority, and His command to us about the (second-in-line) authorities are clear:   Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of author...

Have we gone too far? In our pride, in our making-a-point, in our grudge, in our discipline, in our treatment of someone? We may have (even) started off justified, but somewhere along the way our intentions turned, or we got caught-up in the momentum, and...it got out of hand. Maybe we haven't even noticed that we've gone too far.  (I hadn't.)     But then as I read a Bible passage today about some people who took things too far , God convicted my heart and "told" me to change the names and the "acts-of-excess"... and to review my own life and treatment of others. Not sure if this teaching applies to you as well, but join me and see. In 2 Chronicles Chapter 28 , there was a king ( Ahaz ) who was not walking in the ways of the Lord.  In fact, he was blatantly doing and worshiping things that opposed God.  Because of all this, the  Lord  his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus. The armies...

One of my friends' dads is a household name in the town that they hail from.  He runs a successful business, organizes community events and leads worship at their church.  I'm not sure if he has any free time, but if he did, he would be doing something productive for others.   Choose a good reputation over great riches;  being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.  ~Proverbs 22:1   ~~~ We have friends whose children, marriage, livelihoods and life/family choices revolve around loving and serving Jesus.  For real.   They don't (just) "look the part" or "post the part", they are actually living  "the part" in authenticity.      My son, do not forget my law,  But let your heart keep my commands; ( 2)  For length of days and long life  And   peace they will add to you.  ( 3)  Let not mercy and truth forsake you;  Bind them around your neck,  Write them on the table...