Me First!
"So the last will be first, and the first last. ... And whoever would be first among you must be your slave…." Matthew 20:16, 27 First Grade. A lot of firsts rolled into those two words. It was the first time I…
Margin-Living
Every day, I will bless You and praise Your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:2 ESV Margins. The blank edges surrounding the printed words on a page call out my name. I hear questions such as "What do you think of what…
Flutterby Lessons
"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 ESV The atmosphere radically changed as we stepped through the protective barrier into the glass house. The five-story, 15,000-square-foot tropical habitat housing the United States' largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition was a…
Your Playlist
"Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart." Psalm 77:6 What’s on your playlist? I’m not talking about your playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, YouTube Music, or whatever playlist platform you favor.…
Building Walls
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:16 ESV At the beginning of winter, I’m grateful for the walls of our home that keep the cold, brisk winds at bay. The…
Eyes On Me
“My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net.” Psalm 25:15 ESV “Eyes on me.” “Eyes forward. Look at me.” “Not on the person beside you or behind you, eyes on me.” These and…
Context
"Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail." Jeremiah 7:8 Context. As a culture, we seem to have forgotten not only the meaning but also the importance of this seven-letter word - CONTEXT. Whether it’s a statement taken from a sermon,…
Broken
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17 She was perfect - absolutely beautiful. She was exactly what I had desperately wanted for Christmas that year - a doll…
Hallow Or Hollow?
“Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God.” 1 Chronicles 22:19 Spring is coming. Sunshine dispels the gray clouds of winter, buds begin to sprout on naked branches, flocks of migrated birds return to familiar nests, and heavy…
What Is It To You?
“Jesus said to him, ‘If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!’” John 21:22 The Comparison Game. It’s not a game that we have to be taught. We instinctively know how…
Careless Love
“Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God.” Joshua 23:11 ESV Careless Love. It sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? How can you truly love someone or something and not show genuine care? Judges 13-16, tells the story of Samson,…
A Love Letter
Dear One, Before the foundations of the world were laid, Before the glittering stars and galaxies were hung in their special places, And the planets were set a spinning, Before all creation celebrated and reflected the glory of its Creator, There is…
Truth on Trial
Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling! Psalm 43:3 ESV Truth on trial. Every day. Day in, day out. Truth has been on the docket since…
Open Hands
“Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven….” Lamentations 3:41 ESV As babies, our sons’ soft little hands were always in motion. Busy baby fingers constantly poked, prodded, grabbed, and clutched as they curiously explored their world. I…
Suffocated
"Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will… put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD." Ezekiel 37:5-6…