Overwhelmed
The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made. Psalm 145:9 ESV When you say "overwhelmed" or hear someone else use the word, what associations immediately come to mind? Perhaps you picture yourself buried under…
Deepwater
Water closed over my head; I said, "I am lost." Lamentations 3:54 ESV Momma decided we needed to learn to swim the summer before I turned twelve. Living in the landlocked Dallas area, with summer temperatures hovering around 100 degrees and a…
Bitter Medicine
"Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. Revelation 10:9 I ached all over. My stomach was upset, and I felt hot. "Feverish," Momma said. It was mid-morning, and I…
Sandpaper People
"And we urge you...admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." 1 Thess. 5:14-18 ESV We sat in Panera Bread, sipping coffee and playing catch up. At the mention of a mutual acquaintance, I immediately expressed…
Shattered Pieces
It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern. Isaiah 30:14 NIV I stared with disbelief at the…
Moving Past The Past
"I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins." Isaiah 43:25 I have often mentioned memories of my Momma and the many life lessons I learned from her. As I grew…
Chosen
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14 ESV "Today, we're playing dodgeball!" Cheers and groans were the mingled response from my gym classmates. Cheers rang out from those athletically equipped. The ones blessed with coordination, a sharp eye,…
“Mostly Dead”
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV The two bushes pictured above were "rescue bushes" saved from…
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,…