Philippians 4:13For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.Where does my help come from? It comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.As I sat and listened to those words being sung at a recent Sunday Service, I couldn’t help but reflect on their profound truth. He may not always respond to our desires or actions, but his presence is unwavering. He is always present in ...

John 11:35Jesus wept.When we were growing up, my brother was always active in sports, particularly baseball, basketball, and track. As a result, I spent a lot of time sitting in the bleachers, watching and listening to the events. Yes, I said listening, because you often hear a lot of things being said or, more often, yelled during these games. Sadly, most of that yelling came from the fathers of ...

Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.Take a moment to reflect on the blessings in your life. Consider your journey and the lessons you’ve learned. Reflect on how you’ve become the person you are and how fortunate you are. Think about the love you’ve received and, more importantly, the love you’ve given to...

Luke 23:34Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”Earlier this summer, protests erupted across the country, some of which turned violent. And then, people began intentionally driving their vehicles into crowds, causing harm to others. And there has been an increase in shootings as well. All of this has left me wondering, what on earth is wrong with people? Have we...

Psalm 130:5I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.In essence, this is a declaration of faith, telling us to wait patiently, trust deeply and find hope in God’s word.We all wait for something at some point in our day or life. Whether it’s waiting for the alarm to go off to start our day, for the coffee to brew to give us a caffeine boost, or for our foo...

Psalm 55:22Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.When I was a teenager, I absolutely loved riding roller coasters. I would run to get back in line to ride again and again. The thrill of climbing that hill, the clinking of the cog; click, click, click until you reached the top and then the drop down the other side—oh, the thrill!D...

Psalm 118:8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust people.Wow! That speaks volumes. I myself have trust issues and find it difficult to trust people easily. It takes me a long time to get close to others and let my guard down. Unfortunately, my trust in humanity has been shattered more than once. An example of losing one’s trust is to steal from them, and someone I once considered a ...

On a hill far away, stood an Old Rugged Cross; the emblem of suffering and shame. (By George Bennard)Surprised you there, I didn’t open with a verse of scripture. Don’t worry, it’s coming.Many years ago, when my Grandma passed away, the family was discussing music for her service. The song “The Old Rugged Cross” was suggested, but it wasn’t chosen because some thought it was too sad, and we were a...

Psalms 90:12Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.When I was growing up, I recall hearing the phrase “your days are numbered” in the old Western movies that my dad loved to watch. As a kid, I couldn’t help but think that someone was going to die, but when? They never really said. Then, as I grew older, I began to associate numbered days with birthdays. Since birthdays wer...

1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.I’m not a big worrier. I suppose that’s because I believe that everything will eventually work itself out and be okay, or maybe it wasn’t meant to be. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t worry; I do; I just don’t let it consume me. On the other hand, my husband is the complete opposite. He’s one of those people who can actual...

These are the words written in red, these are the words of Jesus.Matthew 24:6-7“And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famine and earthquakes in many parts of the world.”In my lifetime alone, there have been six wars and ...

Many years ago, I had the privilege of seeing the musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technical Dreamcoat at the Palladium Theater in London. Growing up without a deep understanding of biblical stories, I had no idea what to expect from the show. However, I must say, I was utterly captivated. The acting, the singing, and the enthralling narrative that unfolded before me have left an unfor...

Matthew 5:14-16You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.I recently attended a workshop at my church, focused...

A Time for EverythingWe recently moved our clocks forward an hour; the arrival of the Spring Equinox. I know that there are a lot of people who are complaining about losing an hour of sleep, but me, I’m rejoicing. I love this time of the year! It probably has a little bit to do with the fact that I was born on the first day of Spring. But when I see the trees leafing out, the grass turning green a...

Matthew 6:34So don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring it’s own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.Growing up we weren’t allowed to get up from the dinner table until we had eaten everything on our plate. After all, there were children going hungry somewhere in the world who would love to have the food we were trying to leave on our plate. Needless to say, we sat there and ate...

Matthew 7:12Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.Or as Luke 6:31 simply states, do to others as you would like them to do to you.All it takes is to show kindness, respect, and goodwill towards others for the world to become a better place and for you to become a better person.I had planned today to do the devotion that I had for last week when I wasn’t able to be here because I was si...

Psalms 32:20For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken.When life seems to be breaking us down, we can find strength to adapt, learn and persevere, emerging stronger and more resilient. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a serious illness, or even a job loss, these experiences can bend us, but they won’t break us.Have you ever practiced yoga? I use the word “prac...

Growing up, I was well-versed in the concept of anger and its repercussions. My petite 5’2” and 90-pound mother possessed an turbulent temper, which my father affectionately referred to as her “Spanish temper.” Regrettably, I inherited her strong-willed nature, leading to numerous volatile moments during my adolescence. More often than not, I would endure her outbursts, knowing that retaliating wo...

Reflections on Easter SundayEaster for me was frilly dresses, lacy socks, white patent leather Mary Jane shoes and a Easter bonnet. My family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm for a huge lunch where we were scattered out in three rooms. There was never a table big enough for accommodate all of us. After lunch we had our Easter egg hunt with all the cousins followed by dividing out our treasur...

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live a life that pleases God and resists the natural human inclination to sin. To achieve this, we must be aware of our strengths and weaknesses and take control of our lives through self-awareness and the ability to adapt to life’s challenges. We must fully engage in the present moment, avoiding getting caught up in past regrets or future anxieties. In this e...