Author: Chris G Thelen

I’ve been a writer all my life. Growing up on a farm, I dreamed up all kinds of stories as I spent hours in the fields and the barn. When I graduated from high school, I studied journalism in college and began my career as a writer in advertising. Eventually I made my way into corporate communications before retiring a few years ago. Now I am writing for myself—dabbling in blogging and working on self-publishing that novel that’s been in my head for quite a few years. Through it all, I have thoroughly enjoyed the creative process and using words to create stories.

Heartbreak Etched in Sand

I was walking the beach last week and I came across a message etched in the sand that I’m still thinking about. It was one of those messages where at first you smile and say, “That’s nice.” A moment later your heart sinks as you feel the weight of the last half of the note. […]

Waiting on God

When I see something happening to loved ones, or see them making poor choices, I want immediate change. I pray fervently to God to change the situation. At times I don’t understand why God does not act immediately to change things for the better. Then, as I read His Word, I am reminded to wait […]

Sunday Praise

The LORD is my strength and my shield;My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;Therefore my heart exults,And with my song I shall thank Him. – Psalm 28:7, NASB

Patient Compassion

Over and over in the Old Testament, King after King did evil in the sight of the Lord. Even though God sent prophets to call them to account and return to worshipping only Him, they still rebelled. Yet God was patient with them. 2 Chronicles 35:15 is an example: “The LORD, the God of their […]

No Retreat

When you make a commitment to follow Jesus your faith will be tested. You will feel the heat of those who seek to dissuade you from seeking Christ. Some days the heat will be so intense it will force you to make a choice whether to continue on the path with Jesus. This is part […]

Sunday Praise

Then Hannah prayed and said,“My heart exults in the LORD;My horn is exalted in the LORD,My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,Because I rejoice in Your salvation.There is no one holy like the LORD,Indeed, there is no one besides You,Nor is there any rock like our God. – 1 Samuel 2:1-2, NASB

Exactly What We Need

When I think about the decades of my life and all the things I’ve faced, I consider how many times verses in Bible fit the circumstances. It reminds me that God knew what I needed before I needed it, that He has a plan for my life. It’s amazing how applicable the Bible is to […]

Not the Answer I Expected

Difficult situations can push us to our knees in prayer, pleading to God for relief. Yet how many times does God answer that prayer in a way we did not expect or desire? I wondered this about Ananias in Acts 9. I could see him, like other followers of Jesus at the time, praying to […]

Sunday Praise

With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple […]

How Fertile is the Soil of Your Relationships?

How we relate to one another may determine how fertile the soil is for the seeds of the gospel. Shallow relationships may not allow for the roots of the message of Jesus to run deep. As Jesus explained it in Matthew 13:5-6, because there was no “depth of soil,” there was “no root” and the […]