Wednesday, July 27, 2022
God Hears My Heart
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Sorrows to Dancing
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Children’s Picture Book Review: The Stories of God (and Kiki) by Dave Connis, illustrated by Amy Domingo
What it’s About:
Little Kiki is an aspiring author and illustrator who weaves daring tales about swashbuckling otters, all-knowing sea cucumbers, and nail-biting rescues from the clutches of gerblins (part gerbil, part goblin). But where do her imagination, creativity, and ideas come from?
Meet God, the author of all stories. He writes adventurous tales such as Esther Saves Her Family and Friends, Jesus and the Tomb that Couldn’t Hold Him, and the Story of Kiki.
Kiki loves to write but sometimes she forgets to include important pieces (like the time she forgot to give the ship’s cook a kitchen). God also loves to write, and He knows exactly what every story needs. They are both writing their biggest story of all, and the endings are bound to be incredible.
My Thoughts:
The Stories of
God (and Kiki) is a delightful
book that focuses on how God created us in His image. Kiki is a writer and
illustrator who understands she may make mistakes in her stories, but God never
will. Amy Domingo’s illustrations are refreshing, colorful, and fun. This is a
great book to share with a child and help them understand God created them to
be themselves, even as He, in his wisdom, created the world. This would be a
great book to use in Sunday School or with a group of children, then
have them write a story and illustrate it. I received a complimentary
copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks for the free
#TheStoriesofGodandKiki @
Saturday, July 16, 2022
Life Compared to Algebra
1 Corinthians 2:9-13
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit
searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s
thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one
knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have
received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what
we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by
the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
Some
things are hard to comprehend. My granddaughter and her friend
In high school, we split into groups according to what we wanted to do after we graduated. I was in the college prep program with specific classes assigned. The school required I take algebra 1 & 2 and geometry. I’m not ashamed to admit, I didn’t enjoy algebra or even begin to understand it. I felt frustrated because I couldn’t wrap my head around the concepts. I struggled through and managed to pass, but I still don’t enjoy math.
Life,
compared to algebra, has proven to be much harder at times, but as a follower
and believer in Jesus, I’ve been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. At times
understanding the supernatural abilities of the Holy Spirit seems out of reach,
yet the Spirit knows me and knows God better than anyone. The Spirit
understands my needs, helps me navigate the world and keeps me on the path God
created for me.
I love the
words in 1 Corinthians 2:9; “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and
what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love
him.” God has revealed through the Spirit the very life He has prepared for me.
It sounds so simple, but without faith is so hard to comprehend. God had given
his followers the Holy Spirit as a guide, a wisdom revealer, a prayer, and a
caretaker. In faith, I trust the Holy Spirit to guide me and whisper to me what
I need to know.
Even though
I don’t understand the supernatural elements of God, Jesus, and the Holy
Spirit, I know the Three-in-One loves me and wants the best for me.
Trust the
Holy Spirit’s lead.
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Fiction Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip: A Novel by Sara Brunsvold
Book Description:
Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment
than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas
City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial
task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered
hospice care.
But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian
may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy
away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young
reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants,
that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for
it.
Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational
story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little
deaths to self. You'll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!
My Thoughts:
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip took great talent and understanding
to write. Brunsvold created a beautiful story of life and death that touched on
every emotion. Clara Kip believes in God and trusts Him in everything, but only
after life had tromped on her heart. Aidyn Kelley wants to succeed as the journalist
she knows she can be, if only the editor would give her the chance. Through connections
unknown to Aidyn, she is given an assignment that involves Mrs. Kip. The more
she learns about the woman, the more fascinated she becomes. If you want to
read a story that tugs at the heart-strings and leaves you with hope, this one
is for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in
this review are completely my own.
Saturday, July 2, 2022
When Temptation Comes
1
Corinthians 10:12-13
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No
temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can endure it.
The rocks
along the shore wore green algae like a coat. The waves washed over the slick
surface and presented a tempting place to walk.
We sat on
the boulders near the lighthouse and watched people meander as close to the
water as they could. On a hot summer day, folks were tempted to let the cool
water run over their feet and relieve the heat. Moms and Dads held the hands of
their little ones or carried them on their hip. One misstep on the mossy rocks
could result in injury. Yet, the water tempted.
In 1
Corinthians, the author wrote to the Corinthian church about temptation. They had
been enticed by sins common to their times, much like the sins that tempt
people now. As I watched the water slide over the moss-covered rock, and I
thought about how slippery the surface must be, and how the allure of the cool
water on the soft algae might feel—I pictured Satan whispering to come test
the waters.
That’s how
he works. He sets up an alluring situation, crooks his evil finger, and invites
anyone he can fool to come to his side.
Be aware of
the trickster, the one who invites people down the road of sin and rewards with
heartache and sorrow. One step on those moss-covered rocks and down the person
would go—inevitably injury would follow.
Corinthians
doesn’t just warn against temptation, the author shares good news, the best
news—God has His hand out to help me if or when I fall. He gives
me a way out of sin and temptation. Through Jesus, God gives a fresh start, a
new life, and the hope of heaven. That’s a reason to sing praise to God.
Through Jesus
life, death, and resurrection, He gives everyone the opportunity to be forgiven
and be with Him in heaven. His hand is reaching out to anyone who wants to grab
on.
When
temptation comes, seek Jesus.
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Faith in the Fire
Daniel
3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do
not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown
into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it,
and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he
does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods
or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
The thermometer in the car screamed 102 degrees.
In southwest
Ohio, the temperatures are registering in the high nineties. We’ve had storms
and electric out. My daughter’s family had no electric for almost twenty-four
hours. So what did we do? We gathered at the pool and stayed cool. I am
thankful we live in a place where I have the opportunity to swim with my kids
and grands. When we left, Sara’s car registered 102.
In all of my
almost 65 years, I’ve only had central air since we moved into the condo almost
eight years ago. Up to then, I dealt with the heat in whatever way I could. Let’s
just say, I’m not a summer person, especially in this heat. But I know as the
seasons do, this will pass and before long cooler weather will grace Ohio.
During this oppressive
heat, I’ve been reading the book of Daniel, and you can imagine my thoughts on
the fiery furnace. Without reservation those brave young men, Shadrack,
Meshach, and Abednego, did not fear the heat. They put their lives and hearts
in God’s hands. That’s called faith.
We have a
lot of negatives going on in our country and in the world. I can imagine the
Christians in Ukraine are holding on to their faith for dear life. I love this
line in Daniel: “the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he
will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does
not, we want you to know... we will not
serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” These men
believed God would deliver them, but even if He didn’t, they continued to have
faith in the God they served even if He didn’t save them. They trusted God with
their lives and knew He held their future in His hands.
I wonder if
I have the faith they did. Can I keep the faith regardless of my circumstances?
I pray the answer is yes. I want faith like the men in Daniel. A faith without
doubt. I pray God strengthens my faith as I continue on my life’s path.
Have faith,
God will see you through.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Do I Show Others Grace and Love?
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Because God Is
Saturday, June 4, 2022
The Best News
Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I can't even comprehend how much God loves me.
If you've ever had a pet who is part of your family,
you know how much you love them. Our Rosie May is a family dog, not just for Tim
and me, but also for our children and grandchildren to enjoy and learn from.
When we drove her home from my niece's house, we circled around to let her meet
our grandchildren. Of course she was a wee pup then. Now she's almost full
grown as a seven-month-old and has integrated into our lives as if she's always
been here.
In those few months she's lived with us, she's
shown her loyalty, but she's also chewed on a book, shredded papers, and had
accidents in the house (thankfully just a few.) Yes, I get frustrated, but no
matter what, I love our beautiful, kind-hearted, caring pup. She's part of our family,
and I know she loves us.
Everyone wants to be loved, and I have good news,
great news really. In Romans, the writer shares the amazing promise of God's
continuous love. Once I chose to follow Jesus and believe His truth, God has
poured out his love on me. Yes, I make mistakes, I sin, and at times I've
doubted, but His love draws me back in. Nothing will separate believers, from
the love of their Father, God. Nothing. I stand amazed at the love the Father
pours over His family.
He calls every person to Him. He wants everyone to
acknowledge Him as God. God loves and wants everyone to love Him back.
Seek Him and discover the most incredible love you'll
ever experience.
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
The Next Chapter
Saturday, May 21, 2022
So Did I
Ephesians 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one
can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
My columbine cross-pollinated.
When I first planted columbine in my flower garden, I started with one or two plants. I had grown the old-fashioned ones for years, but when I moved, I failed to take them with me. Eventually, I gathered starts of white and purple from my siblings and added a pretty blue one. With their pops of color and lacey leaves, they add bursts of joy to my plot. As the spring flowers bloom, I'm reminded once again of God's handiwork.
Last year as I perused the early blossoms, I noticed a
change in one of the columbine plants. The white ones generally have a multi-petaled
bloom, while the purple and blue produce more of a bell shape with tiny curls
on the edges. When I focused the camera on one of the white blossoms, I noticed
it had a bell shape, too. The white had cross-pollinated with one of the other
plants and created a delicate white bell with curls.
I'm fascinated by the work of God in nature. Of course this
discovery got me thinking. When I as a human "cross-pollinate" with
the grace God offers, I become a different person. I'm no longer relying on myself.
Instead, I'm a child of God who relies on my heavenly Father, Jesus, and the
Holy Spirit. Through Him my soul reaches a level of beauty I could not imagine
possible.
Just as the white columbine changed and blossomed, so did I when
I surrendered my life to Jesus. He has a good work for me to do and when I mesh
the abilities and desires God has given me with his grace and forgiveness, I'm a
new creation who by what I do, brings glory to my Father. I thank God for His
grace and mercy and for the chance to make a difference.
Praise God for Jesus and for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Hope of Spring!
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Peace in Difficulties
Saturday, March 26, 2022
And There Was Light
Genesis 1:3-5
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that
the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God
called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there
was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Such a simple yet powerful word—light.
Try to imagine a universe void of anything except the power
of God. A vast nothingness until the Creator put everything in place. He made
night and day. Can you even comprehend the largeness of that statement? God
called into the void and said, "Let there be light." And the light
appeared. The brightness projected from the sun creates an intense contrast
from the night. Even though we see stars and the moon, those don't compare to
the brightness of day.
I'm not a night owl, I'm not really a morning person either.
I joke that I'm the tired pigeon in the middle of the day. Seriously, I am more
productive in the daytime, when the light shines through my window, or I'm out
working in my tiny flower garden. My plants reach their little leaves up and
soak in the sunlight and work through photosynthesis in order to grow. As I
work in the sunshine, vitamin D gives me much needed energy.
Aside from the great purpose of the sun, God gave us another
light, His Son. Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes the night falls and
with it come fear, anxiety, and depression. Instead of leaning into the
darkness and letting the negative suck me in, I want to bask in the light of
the Lord and have hope, peace, and truth.
Jesus' light shines this truth on a weary world. "For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life... But
whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly
that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:16
& 21
Living a life for Jesus draws me into His light where I find
help in troubled times, forgiveness and grace, and lots of love from the One
who created me.
Walk in Jesus' light.
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Not a Day Goes By
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Three Things That Help Me Through Life
With joy—I have hope.
With patience—affliction is tolerable.
With faithfulness—I can go to God in prayer.
Saturday, March 5, 2022
It's How You Live
Proverbs 31: 25-28
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her.
"It's not how you die; it's how you live." -JP
Most of you know my mom passed away on February 25. At ninety-five,
we knew the days grew short, even still, losing a parent is hard. I doubt Mom
ever dreamed she would live as long as she did, but once she passed ninety, she
embraced her age.
Per Mom's request, in her last days we were able to keep her
at home. She wanted to live as independently as possible, and being in the
apartment attached to my brother's home gave her the independence she desired.
There were times in her last days we wondered if she could stay there, but with
the help of hospice, she remained comfortable in her own bed.
As a family, we did this to honor our mom's wishes. I'm thankful
we had so many years with her and the opportunity to learn from her wisdom. Mom
loved Jesus and her family. I remember as a child, and even an adult, Mom reminding
me to wear my coat and to always be careful. She was concerned about our
well-being and questioned us when she thought we needed it. She did that
because she loved us like only a mother can. She loved with a fierceness and
protectiveness.
Her love reminds me of how God loves. He has a deep
adoration for His people and He wants nothing more than for us to love Him back.
When I think about how much Mom loved me and how much I love my children, I
begin to understand God's intense care for me. God loves us so much He sent his
son to live on earth, to teach and to die for our sins. But He didn't stop
there, He brought Jesus back to life.
Why did God do that? So people would have a chance to
repent, be saved and baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, live a faith-filled
life, and join Him in heaven. My mom would want you to know the love of Jesus, His
forgiveness, and His amazing love.
Seek Jesus.
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Who God Created Me To Be
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Consider the Creator
Job 37:5-7
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
Snow sprinkled the ground like powdered sugar.
Winter
arrived in southwest Ohio in the form of an ice and snow storm. For three days
moisture froze and covered our little corner of the world. Rain moistened the
ground, sleet piled on sidewalks and streets, ice pinged the windows and coated
the tree limbs, then the snow fell. Flake after flake tumbled from the sky and
a beautiful white wonderland stopped everyday life. Schools closed, businesses
shut their doors early, and the roads turned dicey. For a moment in time life
slowed down.
On those
days, as I walked Rosey and Olive over the frozen tundra, I stood in awe at the
wonder of God's artistry. If you don't know, I'm a winter person. I love to
walk in the snow and see the earth coated in pure white. As I trekked along the
snowy street, I thanked God for the beauty.
The snow
will melt in a few days as the temperature rises, but the wonder I experienced
will stay with me. This morning I picked up my Bible and read from the book of
Job. The seventh verse struck me as one I need to remember. When the weather
changes, a downpour opens from the clouds, a snowstorm hits the area, or the
humidity hits an all time high, God wants us to stop and consider Him.
Not too long
ago, we all had to stay at home due to the pandemic. Perhaps that time, when we
were all stopped in our tracks, was a time to better know God and His work. A
time to ponder God's power and glory.
Even as I
walked in the snow and gazed in awe at His works, I knew God gave me the time
to recognize Him as the Creator.
Take time to
see God's creation and the power of His mighty hand.