Christmas Plans—Part 4

Something stirs you deep inside. You’re in a comfortable place in your life, but a light calls to you. Do you change your plans and follow this light? See what happened when these kings humbly followed the light.

Christmas Plans—Part 2

What do you do when you’re faced with an unexpected change in plans? Will you abandon your plans and follow God’s lead? See how Joseph handled the unexpected.

Christmas Plans—Part 1

You have your holiday all mapped out, but what do you do when God suddenly changes your plans? Will abandon your plans and follow God’s lead? See how Mary handled the unexpected.

Dinner with a Friend

I did not feel worthy. Would he ever forgive me? My heart ached to be with him, to hear him. Then I heard a faint voice. Did I imagine it? Someone called my name. From the front entrance; a firm tap on the door. My heart raced, my hand on the door knob. Slowly, I […]

Authority Figure

He was a man of authority, a leader of many in the army. He was used to giving commands his soldiers obeyed. Yet he approached Jesus with respect, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented (Matthew 8:6, NASB).” The centurion in this passage calls Jesus, “Lord,” even though he is a Roman […]

Prayer Journey—Dim Light

A single light bulb; a dim light on a small lamp; a weak substitute for your light dear Lord. I wait in anticipation for the dawn when your light will chase away the darkness. The sun emerging, rising above the horizon; illuminating all the earth. The hope of your morning light touching all who walk […]

Prayer Journey—Pause

In the silence of this morning, pause and quiet your heart. Clear your mind of the noise of this world. Quiet your thoughts and listen. In the faint whisper, He is there; calling to you. Can you hear Him? He beckons you to come close, to sit by His side—to hear the comforting voice of […]

God’s Skipping Ripples

Walking the beach for me is a great time to think, to ponder God’s word. If you’ve followed this blog for awhile, you’ll notice many of my post have pictures of the beach near our home. One characteristic of Lake Michigan beach is that some stretches have lots of rocks. Sometimes this prompts me to […]

The Dirty Laundry in Our Life

As a culture, we seem obsessed with whitening things. Laundry detergent ads boast about how they make whites whiter and toothpaste ads boast about whiter teeth. But no matter how white they make things, teeth and clothes can soon become dingy. It reminds me of our efforts to purify ourselves of the “sin which so […]

The Motives Behind Faith

What is your motivation for following Jesus? Is it for personal gain, or is it driven by devotion to Him? People can profess loyalty, a belief in Jesus, but their actions express something else. Jesus saw this played out in the temple. “And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep […]