You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence. Psalm 16:11 TLB I sat in my tent and read my Bible. Though it was early, the sun was up. Outside, guides banged pots and pans as they prepared breakfast on this, the last day of our Rogue…

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV As summer approaches, what do you plan to capture?  Moments with growing kids?  Memories with friends and family?  How about thoughts? No, not the ones you add to the to-do list before you forget. Out-of-bound thoughts.  Like complaints.  Complaints are…

One of my favorite stories is “The Knights of the Silver Shield” by Raymond M. Alden. In the story, a group of valiant knights lived in the forest where they fought the evil giants of the land. They bore silver shields that shone brightly when a knight was virtuous but became cloudy when he was…

The alabaster jar of spikenard. An unusual gift. Precious. Costly. This was no bottle of cheap perfume. The pink-blossomed spikenard plant grew in India. Its fragrant oil, collected from the plant’s spikes, was valued so highly that one bottle cost a year’s wages.  Scripture records several accounts of women bringing their oil-filled alabaster jars to…

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 NIV How much more!  Can you see the look on Jesus’ face as He makes His case?  Why do we struggle to believe Him? Or is it…

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s…

I spent the end of December reviewing 2023’s goals and praying about 2024. Just as a morning quiet time with God sets the tone for the day, so fasting and prayer prepares me for the coming year.  In James 4:15 NIV, James advised believers to set their goals with God in mind, “Instead, you ought…

Christmas. The season of lights and a season where my light easily dims. My workload for December is proving intense, and that’s just work. The pressures of the season are enough to snuff out the brightest of lights. My friend Pam quipped that men believe in Santa because they woke up Christmas morning and everything…

Fall spices. I love them. The aroma of cinnamon throughout the house. The punch to the palate of ginger and cloves. The gritty texture of nutmeg and cardamom. When no one’s looking, I usually double their amounts in any recipe whether it’s pumpkin pie, gingerbread, or molasses cookies. And chai tea lattes? My favorite.  Sprinkled…

“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV Three days after graduating from college, our oldest left for the Navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois.  When we saw him eight…