Scripture:  Psalms 42:1-2a - As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.Psalms 63:1 - O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.Matthew 6:19-21 - Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and ru...  Read More

Scripture:  Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.Overtime the Lord has convinced me of supernatural factorsHe promised to make me new, while the old is less flatteringThe Lord has brainwashed me to believeThrough Christ who strengthens me, I’m able to achieveI take pleasure in encountering the t...  Read More

Scripture: Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) - “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”I once suggested to a lady who lived alone that she consider getting a   “low maintenance” pet, perhaps a cat, to keep her company.  I secretly hoped that she hadn’t seen that placard in Big Lots that said, ‘Dogs have masters; cats have staff!’  She candidly responded, ‘You know, I much mor...  Read More

Scripture: John 1:29 - Behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.Calvary covers it all,My past with sin and stains.My guilt and despairJesus took on Him there.(1975 Word Music. LLC Inc.) Words by Ethel TaylorSome years past, I participated on an outreach team called “Operation Go.”. I paired up with another woman and we went out faithfully on Tuesdays. Our team targeted homes ...  Read More

Scripture:  James 5:13 - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.Trouble will eventually find meHowever, it’s not meant to define meFor His glory, I have been groomed and raisedEven in suffering, He is worthy to be praisedAs I face the seasons, all will not be pleasingTrouble and torment exist for His purposes and reasonsTrials are no surprise, in fact,...  Read More

Scripture: Romans 8:28 NKJV - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.Mourning the loss of a loved one can be difficult to deal with. No matter who it is, how it happens, when it happens, there is nothing that can be said or done to take away the sting of death except the intense, overwhelming, never – ending, r...  Read More

Scripture: Proverbs 16:3 - Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.Colossians 3:23 NKJV - And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.Waking up and getting ready like it’s a normal day hasn’t been the norm for many people since around March 13, 2020. That was the last day we were able to do what we wanted to do, when, where, how and with whom we ...  Read More

Scripture:  John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.One morning recently, I woke up with the thought that God never promised anything would be easy.  As a 52-year-old woman, I hold many roles; and for some reason I have begun to look for the calm road or the easy one in all area...  Read More

Scripture:  Psalms 3:3 -  But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.This scripture is so encouraging to me.  I can’t imagine how much distress David was experiencing when he wrote Psalms 3.  He had fled from his wicked son, Absalom, who wanted to kill him and take over his kingdom.  At first David was very troubled.  Psalms 3:1-2 says “Lord, how many my foes i...  Read More

Scripture: II Corinthians 1:8-9 (NASC) -  “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction… indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead…”     The Apostle Paul often voiced familiarity with today’s scriptural focus. So did Mark the Apostle in the gospel bearing his name (See Mark 9:17-29).  For many o...  Read More

Scripture:  Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?My heart cannot be trusted or followedIt’s tied to emotions and feelings that can change tomorrowThe heart opens itself to all possibilitiesFriendly ideas, but eventually painful enemiesMany times, the heart stirs up contention and confusionIt deceives that I’m winning, yet in the long run ...  Read More

Scripture:  Leviticus 10:1-3 - And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, 'This is it that the Lord spake, saying I will be sanctified in...  Read More

Scripture: Galatians 6:2 NKJ -  Bear one another’s burdens,  and so fulfill the law of Christ.Days are filled with sorrow and careHearts are lonely and drear.Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.I am reminded of a story told regarding a man walking, carrying a heavy load. The driver of a truck picked him up to relieve him of such a heavy burden, only to look to the back of the truck, a...  Read More

Scripture:  Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.How shall we do this thing called life?  Scripture says (Ps 34:1) to Bless the Lord at all times and allow His Praise to last always; “Oh, but Lord, things are not going my way”;” I feel stressed”; “I feel hurt”; “I feel ...  Read More

Scripture:  II Timothy 2:21 – If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.To be used by God, a personal relationship through Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9) must take place.  Once we are saved, it is so important to keep a short account of our sins (for fellowship purposes). I John 1:9 says “I...  Read More

Scripture:  “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-                                    fearing, and does His will, He hears him.”  John 9:31 (NASB)There is no shortage of people today, who by their mere mention of the name ‘God,’ believe they know Him, while in habitual acts, they deny Him. (Titus 1:16) Talk about ensnared thinking!  Those religious elite (aka Pharisees) act...  Read More

Scripture:  And Jesus said, “For  judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”  Jn. 9:39 (NKJV)F.B. Meyer is quoted as saying, “Unbelief puts circumstances between itself and Christ, so as to not see Him.”  I was reminded of that quote while slowly reading John, chapter nine, the account of Christ’s healing of a blind man.  As ...  Read More

Scripture: Philippians 4:6 NKJV - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.Recently, I heard a miracle story. A pastor’s daughter woke up abruptly because she was having an asthma attack in the middle of the night. The Holy Spirit woke her mother up at that time so that she could tend to her. When mom realized w...  Read More

Scripture: Genesis 19:15-17 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city...  Read More

Scripture:  Nehemiah 4:6-9 - So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. 7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the [a]gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired togethe...  Read More

Proverbs 30:5 -  Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.A retrospective look, gives us understanding by way of the history of a matter and being studious of the past, while a prospective look invites us to follow the clues of the present time to forecast that to come, with some borrowing from the past's trends, to then recreate a situation and prove a claim...  Read More

Scripture:  Matthew 8:26 – Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.  The hymn “Jesus Savior, Pilot Me was written especially for sailors -- using words that they were familiar with --  chart, compass, and the need for a competent pilot to guide them over the tempestuous seas.  Edward Hopper was born in New York on Febr...  Read More

Scripture:  Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.Though we move into each New Year with some new plans, aspirations and even dreams, the plans of our God remain the same as He had planned them from the very beginning.  So the question is not so much about our new plans for God, but are we walk...  Read More

Scripture:  Genesis 32:29 - Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.As we anticipate a new day and even a new year it behooves us at times to encourage ourselves by reflecting on the past times and places that our God has blessed us.  The blessings of God are not always material, in fact, the true blessing...  Read More