Are You Willing?

My Mother and Daughter, late 1980s

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.” (Matt. 23:37)

            As soon as Jesus was approaching, near the…Mt. of Olives, the whole crowd…began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen, shouting:

                        “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

                        Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”...

            When Jesus approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known in this day…the things that make for peace…For the days will come upon you when your enemies will…surround you and hem you in on every side…because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:37-44)

Jesus longs to gather you under His everlasting arms. Are you willing?

                        

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Favorite Hobby

My Favorite Son-in-law and Daughter

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Jesus Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." (Eph. 5:25)

       After teaching her children the meaning of hobbies, our daughter asked our grandchildren, "What do you think your daddy's favorite hobby is?"
        "Uhhhh...kissing Mommy!" they answered.

"...in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example..." (1 Tim. 4:12)

"You teach a little by what you say. You teach most by what you are." (Henrietta C. Mears)

       

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Lost!

           This article is the headliner for the “Robin Hood Review”, a newspaper our daughter created as a third grader in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1990. Yesterday, I searched my house high and low for that paper, and I can’t find it! My treasure is LOST!

            In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, Jesus tells three stories about things that were lost (a lost sheep, a lost coin, and lost son) but later found because someone searched for that which they valued.

            When the lost son returned home, his father told the older brother, “We had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:32). In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

            Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

            For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life ( John 3:16).

            If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

            In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8).

            For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:78-9).

           

            Are you lost in a world of darkness? Turn to Jesus, the Light of the World. Be found! Be saved!

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Under Daddy's Wings

My strong, gentle husband and sweet children, 1986.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust…He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” (Psa. 91:1,2,4)

Psalm 91 is sometimes called the Soldier’s Psalm. In WWI, the U.S. soldiers of the 91^st Brigade recited Psalm 91 daily. Other units suffered up to 90% casualties, but the 91^st did not suffer a single combat-related death!

God is willing and able to daily protect you as well in evil times. Believe in God through Jesus and snuggle up under your Father’s wings!

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Sweet Dreams!

Me at two and a half, 1959.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep,

for You alone, O Lord, make me to

dwell in safety.”

(Psalm 4:8)








        I recently overheard a conversation among some weary, young women. One asked, "If you had to choose between food and sleep, which would you choose?" Their answer: "Sleep!"
        "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired...He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power...yet those who trust in the Lord will gain new strength; They will  mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary!" (Isa. 40:28-31)

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Wasp or Butterfly?

My beautiful daughter and her beautiful family

“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.” (Gal. 5:14-15)

            My extraordinary daughter gives the Lord all the credit for the clever way she’s teaching her children to be slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19), and to interact with respect and kindness. Her brilliant strategy: she asks them the simple question, “Do you want to be a wasp or a butterfly?”

            It greatly saddens me that, over the past few years, derogatory, untrue remarks have been spoken about my church. What disturbs me even more than the criticism is the source of the disparagement: Christians, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!

            I’d just like to say one thing to these backbiters, “Do you want to be a wasp or a butterfly!?! 
And...I love you." J

                       “Encourage one another and build each other up!” (1 Thess. 5:11) 

                         “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 

                             just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32)


"Before you are tempted to criticize or oppose something that looks different from your past experience, ask God for wisdom and discernment. Examine why you might be tempted to oppose it. The Lord cannot be put in a box. He delights in doing things in ways that may not fit our former paradigms." 
                                                                                                                          - Oz Hillman of TGIF 

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