It is amazing to me that we are already in September…not sure where this year went already. Before we know it we will be opening holiday gifts as time does fly. Our lives are similar to the calendar year in that they go quickly. One day we are young and full of energy and the next we are facing the struggles of old age. However, the one thing that remains constant is that we are a work in progress. In Jeremiah 29:11 we read “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a…

Scripture for the week: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you: “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26). Devotional Thought: Have you ever felt the sun on your skin and been warmed completely through, as though the Father in Heaven were enveloping you in a warm embrace? Imagine, God, the almighty creator of this earth looking toward us, providing us peace, supporting us. What a blessing! Let’s take a moment and look at a few words and their meaning in this verse to truly get a full understanding. 1. ‘Bless’ means…

Scriptures: Ephesian 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous who walks in his integrity–blessed are his children after him!” 3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Devotional Thought: Last month we focused on how as mothers we are the ultimate caretakers and reflected on the many aspects of being a mother. In June our theme is fathers. Throughout the Bible, God instructs fathers to bring up their children through discipline and instruction and ensure they walk in the truth. We…

Scripture:  “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of the household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:25-30 (ESV) Devotional Thought:  As mothers, we are revered as the caretakers, the one who has it all together. When…

Easter Family Devotional Scripture Verses “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has pass away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christs from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,….” 1 Peter 1:3 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “We were…

Scripture: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (ESV) Devotional Thought: As a working woman, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and lab mom, Hebrews Chapter 4 often provides me with a gentle reminder of much-needed ‘amazing grace’. The chapter reviews the Lord’s command to honor the Sabbath and the gift that the Sabbath represents. The text states, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” The chapter is a reminder that Jesus Christ is not unable to sympathize…

Scripture: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 Devotional Thought: As I sit here with my oldest daughter bouncing jokes off each other as we visit, I am reminded of the everlasting love and loyalty that I have for my family and friends. Love naturally comes easy for us but at times can be hard depending on the person or situation at hand. For God, it comes easy. God loved us so much that he sacrificed his one and only son for us. That is definitely unconditional love. If we have faith in God then the love we have should…

Verses for Reflection “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.”Job 8:7 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Devotional Thought I am routinely reminded that some days are tougher than others and find myself saying “tomorrow has to be better than today.” It is such a vicious thought cycle that before long, it seems that is my mantra every day.  However I am reminded that God has our new beginning already planned for us. The old is gone and the new awaits us some day when we get to heaven. God…

Christmas 2020 (scroll down for a downloadable version) The year 2020 brought many challenges. Unlike most years, these challenges were nearly universal, as COVID-19 raged across the world. In America, race relations and election division have ravaged relationships in families and communities. Many come to the end of 2020 exhausted, distrustful, and full of uncertainty. As we move into Christmas week, I am reminded of the promises realized in the birth and death of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ; the promises of salvation, of peace, of love. Join me in this short Christmas Peace Devotional. His power and purpose. Isaiah 9:6 says, “ For unto us a child is born,…