Corona Devotionals

If your gift is...teaching, then teach.   ~Romans 12:4 ~~~ Hats off to our teachers today. A hearty " Bravo! " to the brave souls that invest-in and impact our children and the world's children.   How can we appreciate (enough) these men and women that (for ten months out of the year) often spend more time with our kids than we do? For starters, let's appreciate  them and what they are called to.   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,  ( 5)  so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.   ( 6)  We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  ( 7)  if it is serving, then serve;  if it is teaching, then teach;  ( 8)  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving,...

We might be willing and able to quote a number of Bible verses.  I have some favorites, like Jeremiah 29:11 , and you know John 3:16.    But (if we are honest), there are some verses that we don't really want  to recite and say out loud, for fear that they might actually happen and apply to our lives. There is a deep-level of having faith in God that makes us nervous because of the uncomfort  that we might have to experience to get there. But the apostle Paul was not afraid to say it out loud, and he was not faking any of his faith in God. In humility and honesty, Paul prays and praises God and those who have supported him in God's work...and you just can't make a prayer like Paul's up.  His truth about hard things pretty much proves that he is not lying .   Because....we just don't say those things unless we mean them, and although (and because) Paul had been through a lot...he meant what he said. I am not saying this because I am in need, f...

What book is on our night stand?  What's on our play-list or is "recommended"? The last book we read or movie we watched? What song do we keep singing?  What are we thinking about when we're not thinking? Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  ( 9)  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  ~Philippians 4:8-9 ~~~ I used to know a family that had these verses written-out and adhered to the rectangle edges of their TV set, and (as of late),  I have been contemplating making the same "frame" for our tv screen. Why? Because I'm watching to o many episodes of the tv series "Dance Moms".   The mom's of these tween and teen girl-dancers are petty, critical, mean, and self-centered....

Have you e ver had to use crutches?  An injured foot, toe, knee or leg, made a crutch or two necessary in order to get around safely? Sometimes we need a crutch. But sometimes we don't.   ~~~ Our son injured his knee last Fall and initially the doctor required him to use crutches, but after the prescribed time, he was still using them.  I understood...he was not ready to take the leap of strength (and faith) necessary to step out without  the crutches. And then, a few days later, he dropped them and never looked back.  But during those few (extra-crutch) days, our family toured a large university campus, and he had to put in a lot of extra work that I am not totally sure was necessary. Are we using a crutch today that we need to let go of?   Trust in the  Lord  with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding; (6)  in all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight.  ~Proverbs 3:5-...

We are enough  today.   Just as we are, without any embellishments or improvements: right now and today, and just as we are: we are enough  for God.  God loves us today.  He really loves us.    No "extras" needed, no catches lurking, and no excuses: God loves us and calls us His children today.   See what great love  the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!   ~I John 3:1     Stop battling with the acceptance of this truth  of God.  We have to stop trying, and failing, and flailing, and trying to earn it.  We can't.  But we don't need to.   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  ~John 3:16   God really loves us, and all He asks is that we choose to love Him back.   We can relax in this Truth today.  Ple...

What's making us anxious today?    I couldn't possibly know what/who/why you are anxious today, but we each have reasons to be anxious , for sure.   Just in my close friends and family today, things that are making me anxious  include a heart ablation, heart bypass surgery, a procedure for a stint into a leg vein, Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, cancer of the stomach lining, knee injuries, sickness, deception, chemo, financial crunches,  evil,  being cancelled as a Christian,  death . There is much  to be anxious about, for sure. Our stomach can get in knots and our faith can get frayed when we are anxious. It would take an hour for me to lay out all of my prayers and requests and anxieties before the Lord.   And that's just what He wants , in order to give us what we  want. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  ( 7) ...

I had a little pebble in my shoe the other day.  A tiny little thing, but oh  how that little stone bothered me.  It was always there.  Sometimes it would shift in my shoe, and I might not notice it for a step or two, and then ouch , there it was again.  It wasn't going away. and it was constantly rubbing me, bothering me, wearing me down, and hurting me.   I had to stop and deal with it. And as soon as I did...there was relief.   Immediately.   It was wonderful, and I had to ask myself why I didn't stop and take care of it in the first place, instead of letting it wear on me and wear me down. ~~~ Do we have a "pebble" of unforgiveness in our shoe today?   Something that we need to deal with?  Something that isn't going away?  Something that is rubbing us the wrong way?  Something that might shift for a while, but that ( ouch ) always resurfaces?  Something that is wearing us down and hurting us? ...