-
Lessons from Texas Ranger
I mentioned in a previous post that our youngest dog had to have knee surgery. As a young, active black lab, the injury he sustained is quite common. The surgery is only an hour or so long and has been done so many times that it’s almost routine, with a 95% success rate. We have the resources to do the surgery and my husband didn’t want to lose one of his hunting buddies at 4 years old. No one warned me how much work it would be to keep an 85-pound four-year-old trained hunting black lab who loves to jump calm and quiet for four months! Even with sedation, the…
-
Seasons of Change: When Seasons Collide
I am sitting in one of my favorite spots, a little sofa where I do my morning devotionals and my evening journaling. I am a mix of emotions right now. On one hand, I am excited as another one of my children will get married this weekend. The first got married just a few short months ago. It seems only yesterday that I was running around taking them to school, music practice, Cub Scouts, and hoping that they wouldn’t get the next nasty flu bug going around school. As I think about the years that have passed, I fondly remember the good moments. I remember with chagrin the times I…
-
A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: Romans 5:3-
Scripture: “Not only that, but we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4 ESV) Thought: These verses focus on the attitude and orientation of man. However, the way they are presented infers that God and his promises are worthy of both our patience and our suffering. He does not create circumstances for our suffering, but he certainly see us in our suffering and calls us to him. We can grow stronger in character and faith through our challenges and suffering. Application: Seek him always, but especially in the eye of the storm. He is doing a work in…
-
Okay, God. What’s My Job?
Let go of control In the last few articles we’ve touched on the idea of letting go of control and depending on God, but today we are going to dive deeper. One of my favorite old movies is Days of Thunder, starring Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman. In one scene, Cole and Claire are in an argument about Cole, Cruise’s character, going back to racing after an accident. Claire, Kidman’s character, tells Cole that “control is an illusion.” Hard to believe that such profound wisdom could come from a 90’s cult classic, but it’s true. The illusion of control trumps us all up at some point. Here are some things to know…
-
A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: 2 Corinthians 4:17
Scripture: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Thought: God is not unfeeling, but our salvation is important. As such, he will use our difficulties and afflictions to draw us closer to him. It is amazing to think that God wants us with him in heaven. Faith makes our difficulties lighter. When we change our orientation towards heaven, the whole of our experience changes—we become stronger, more capable, more humble. Application: What is my focus? Now or eternity. This life is fleeting, but the one to come is forever. If I focus on that, whatever I experience here…