From My Heart

Some days, you just need to look across the table into the face of someone older and wiser. Some days, you just need the tender touch of a hand and a word of encouragement over a mug of strong Irish tea. Some days, you just need to be reminded.... I have been having some areas of dread lately. Things in my life that are making me feel anxious and overwhelmed. It occurred to me, after having a talk with a wonderful mentor in my life, that dread is just another word for apprehension and fear. Fear of the unknown mostly. 2 Timothy 1:7 says God did not give me this spirit of fear - He gave me a sound mind. What I needed to be reminded of is that I am a child of hope. In Ephesians 1, Paul prays for his fellow believers and asks that they will KNOW the HOPE to which they are called. I am CALLED to hope! One of the most inspirational passages on hope for me is in Lamentations chapter 3. But to truly get the full impact of Jeremiah's words here, you must read the whole chapter...

It's not often I can say my days have a theme to them, but today was one of those days. The word for today was 'COME'. I went to a new (for me) Bible study this morning and the lessons were titled "Come". The first scripture was Mark 10:13-16: "And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, 'Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdoms of God like a child shall not enter it.' And he took them in His arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them." (ESV) Jesus wants us to come to Him as children, but How do children come? I am a mom and a Nana of nine and I have spent much time on this earth raising and caring for children. Yes, children come to you with innocence and trust. But the times I always loved was when I walked in a r...

As I sit here preparing my Sunday School lesson for this week, I am reading through the first chapter of Matthew which begins with one of those exciting genealogies we all love so much when reading through the Bible. (read slight sarcasm here) But as I read through this one this year, it occurs to me that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me that ALL scripture is inspired by God and ALL scripture is useful. So if the genealogy is here -  it must be worth my time. The first, and most obvious, reason is to prove the lineage of Christ and His right to the throne of Israel. It traces His Messianic lineage back to David and further to Abraham both of whom the Jews recognized would be ancestors to the Messiah. As we read on, though, there are some interesting characters indeed. Jacob was a liar. Tamar (the fact that a woman is included is unheard of) who seduced her former father in law, Judah, in order to continue her deceased husband's line (Genesis 38). Rahab (another woman AND a Gentile) w...

Since the New Year started, I have seen everyone  well, maybe not everyone , posting their verse for the year or their word for this year. I want to be that spiritual, really, I do. But reality reigns at my house. Truth be told, I hadn't even thought about a verse or a word for the year. I'm not sure I could remember what my verse and word were for last year, so why bother with another one? We had a lovely time ringing in the New Year with some wonderful friends and maybe the whole evening just had me waxing nostalgic. I looked at these people - some we had done life with for a long time. We have traveled together, laughed together, mourned together, and loved together. I looked at others who are more newcomers to the scene and think about what our future together will bring. It's exciting and a little scary. On our way home, it was dark and there were still a few fireworks going off in the distance.. my thoughts turned toward the year past and other circumstances ...

It always amazes me to see how God works things together, how He speaks the same things to different people, how He works to get His message out. I had planned to write this yesterday, but I procrastinated only to wake up this morning and find that one of the leadership team for my Online Bible Study had already written it.  In her post, she talks of all the dark articles regarding events happening in our world today. I agree with her that we need to be aware, but is this where our focus should lie? And what about that person on your news feed that uses Facebook as their rant forum? It's all so depressing if we don't balance it with hope. Lately, I have been trying to get back into my walking routine and was dismayed several days ago to discover shortly into my walk that I left my ear buds at home. Whatever was a girl to do? How about talking to Jesus?  It occurred to me that when God tells us to "Be still" in Psalm 46:10, He is not just telling us 'd...

I hadn't realized how long it has been since I wrote a post. Tonight I was reading stories from the tornado and flood ravaged areas and my heart breaks for the things I am seeing: a mom who lost her two little boys, homes absolutely leveled, people separated from their pets, catastrophic injuries. It's all so tragic. Then I picked up my Bible to do my reading for the day and my New Testament passage was John 1:1-28. I have decided to try and read through the gospel of John aloud and ask God to show me words or phrases that I need to dwell on. Tonight He gave me chapter 1, verse 16, "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another . (NIV)" The ESV says we have received "grace upon grace".  As I looked around me and thought of those going through so much pain tonight, I felt He was telling me to remember what I have to be thankful for...letting me know I need to be more thankful. I remember reading a quote one time that ...

And He said to all, "If any would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20 - 21 I have only known in my life one person that truly personified those verses. In 2009, one of our youngest, most energetic ministers was taken to the hospital emergency room with chest pain. He was healthy and athletic. He taught PE at our local high school. This trip to the hospital began a journey that would last the next three years and affect more lives than anyone could have ever anticipated. Mike Storter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Mike immediately began treatments for his disease and for a short period during these years was considered cancer-free. It was a ...